applied to her
brother-in-law.

They were walking towards the house, but at this point Captain Burnett
thought fit to stand still and shake his head, with a grieved expression
of face.

'My dear Audrey, I should like to see you on more sisterly terms with
Gage's husband.'

'Don't be silly,' was the only response; 'one cannot choose one's
brother-in-law. The Marquis makes Gage a splendid husband--no one else
could have mastered her--but I never could get on with a man who always
thinks he is right about everything. Percival is too immaculate in his
own and his wife's eyes to be in harmony with a sinner like myself; and
I don't mind confessing to you, Michael, that he never opens his mouth
without my longing to contradict him.'

Audrey said this with such perfect _naivete_ and candour that Captain
Burnett could only smile, though sheer honesty made him say a moment
afterwards:

'I think, indeed I have always thought, that you undervalue Harcourt. He
is a fine fellow in his way. I like a man to be strong, and Harcourt is
strong--he has no pettiness in his nature. He is rather a severe critic,
perhaps--and demands a little too much from other people--but you will
find that he always practises what he preaches.'

'I wish he understood me better,' was the rueful response. 'Unhappily,
he and Gage think their mission is to reform me. Now, Michael, do be
quick, or the dinner-bell will ring;' and Audrey waved her hand gaily,
and turned into the house, while Michael and his faithful Booty
followed her more slowly.

When Audrey entered the drawing-room she found her brother-in-law
standing in his favourite attitude before the fireplace--he was
evidently holding forth on some interesting topic, for Dr. Ross was
listening to him with an amused expression of face, and Geraldine was
watching him with admiring wifely eyes. He broke off, however, to greet
Audrey, and there was brotherly warmth in his manner as he shook hands
with her and asked after her health--a mere civility on his part, as
Audrey was never ill.

Mr. Harcourt was a good-looking man of about forty--perhaps he was a
year or two more, but he was young-looking for his age, and the absence
of beard and moustache gave him a still more youthful aspect; the slight
tinge of gray in his hair seemed to harmonise with the well-cut
features. The mouth was especially handsome, though a sarcastic
expression at times distinguished it. His figure was good, and without
bein