or myself," she continued, addressing Miss Pink.
"Isabel sometimes does it for me, when she is at home--don't you, my
dear?"

Miss Pink had been waiting her opportunity to assert her own claim to
the possession of her own niece, from the time when Lady Lydiard had
coolly declared her intention of taking Isabel back with her. The
opportunity now presented itself.

"Your Ladyship will pardon me," she said, "if I remark that my niece's
home is under my humble roof. I am properly sensible, I hope, of your
kindness to Isabel, but while she remains the object of a disgraceful
suspicion she remains with me."

Lady Lydiard closed her fan with an angry snap.

"You are completely mistaken, Miss Pink. You may not mean it--but you
speak most unjustly if you say that your niece is an object of suspicion
to me, or to anybody in my house."

Mr. Troy, quietly listening up to this point now interposed to stop the
discussion before it could degenerate into a personal quarrel. His keen
observation, aided by his accurate knowledge of his client's character,
had plainly revealed to him what was passing in Lady Lydiard's mind.
She had entered the house, feeling (perhaps unconsciously) a jealousy of
Miss Pink, as her predecessor in Isabel's affections, and as the natural
protectress of the girl under existing circumstances. Miss Pink's
reception of her dog had additionally irritated the old lady. She had
taken a malicious pleasure in shocking the schoolmistress's sense
of propriety--and she was now only too ready to proceed to further
extremities on the delicate question of Isabel's justification for
leaving her house. For Isabel's own sake, therefore--to say nothing of
other reasons--it was urgently desirable to keep the peace between the
two ladies. With this excellent object in view, Mr. Troy seized his
opportunity of striking into the conversation for the first time.

"Pardon me, Lady Lydiard," he said, "you are speaking of a subject which
has been already sufficiently discussed between Miss Pink and myself. I
think we shall do better not to dwell uselessly on past events, but to
direct our attention to the future. We are all equally satisfied of
the complete rectitude of Miss Isabel's conduct, and we are all equally
interested in the vindication of her good name."

Whether these temperate words would of themselves have exercised the
pacifying influence at which Mr. Troy aimed may be doubtful. But, as he
ceased speaking, a powerfu