wards each other was sufficient to make
such knowledge of her movements undesirable, and even dangerous for
both.

CHAPTER XXIII.

FORGET-ME-NOTS.

Lady Caroline, always mindful of her daughter's moods, could not quite
understand Margaret's demeanor when she returned home that afternoon.
She fancied that some news about Sir Philip might have reached the
girl's ear and distressed her mind. But when she skilfully led the
conversation in that direction, Margaret said at once, with a complete
absence of finesse that rather disconcerted her mother--

"No, mamma, I heard nothing about the Ashleys--mother or son."

"Dear Margaret," thought Lady Caroline, "is surely not learning
_brusquerie_ and bad manners from that tiresome Miss Colwyn. What a very
unlucky friendship that has been!"

She did not seize the clue which Margaret unconsciously held out to her
in the course of the same evening. The girl was sitting in a shady
corner of the drawing-room holding a feather fan before her face, when
she introduced what had hitherto been, at Helmsley Court, a forbidden
topic--the history of the Brands.

"Papa," she said, quietly, "did you never know anything of the Red House
people?"

Lady Caroline glanced at her husband. Mr. Adair seemed to find it
difficult to reply.

"Yes, of course, I did--in the old days," he answered, less suavely than
usual. "When the father was alive, I used to go to the house, but, of
course, I was a mere lad then."

"You do not know the sons, then?" said Margaret.

"My dear child, I do not hunt. Mr. Brand's only appearance in society is
on the hunting field."

"But there is another brother--one who paints, I believe."

"He teaches drawing in some of the schools of the neighborhood," Lady
Caroline interposed, rather dryly. "I suppose you do not want drawing
lessons, dear?"

"Oh, no," said Margaret, indifferently. "I only thought it seemed odd
that we never met them anywhere."

"Not very suitable acquaintances," murmured Lady Caroline, almost below
her breath. Mr. Adair was looking at an illustrated magazine and did not
seem to hear, but, after a moment's pause, Margaret said,

"Why, mamma?"

Lady Caroline hesitated for a moment. Mr. Adair shrugged his shoulders.
Then she said slowly:

"His father married beneath him, my love. Mrs. Brand is a quite
impossible person. If the young men would pension her off and send her
away, the County would very likely take them up. But we cannot