"Do not let us waste time in discussing his character. The important
question is, what are we to do about your father's marriage?"

"Stop it."

"But how?" she asked. "Shall I speak?"

"No, no; leave it to me," he said. "I'll undertake to settle the matter.
If you saw the Bishop, you'd only irritate him."

"He told me to go to bed, last night, after that woman had insulted me."

"Insulted you? I thought you told me she'd nothing to say for herself."

"Her presence was an insult, and one of us leaves this house to-day,"
replied his aunt, and swept out of the room.

Cecil gulped down his tea, and, ringing the bell, sent an urgent message
to Miss Arminster, requesting a meeting in his aunt's boudoir, which,
considering the purpose of the interview, he was sure Miss Matilda would
not object to put at her disposal.

Violet received him in about twenty minutes, apologising for her
charming tea-gown, on the ground of being somewhat seedy.

"Our supper last night was rather extraordinary, you know," she said.

"I've only heard one version," he replied.

"Miss Matilda's?" she asked, laughing.

He nodded.

"I fancy it was lurid enough," she went on; "but your good father's out
of leading-strings this time, and no mistake."

"Tell me all about it," he said. "I'm most anxious to know."

"Of course you are," she returned. "So here goes."

Banborough enjoyed the recital immensely, and laughed immoderately at
certain passages.

"So the governor knows all about our adventures?" he said, when she had
finished. "Did he seem much upset?"

"Only about not recognising you when you blacked his eye under the bar."

"What a good old chap he is! Just think of his coming all that way to
hunt me up! I wish he could have some fun out of life."

"We must try and help him to do so," she said.

"Yes," he replied, suddenly recollecting the object of his mission.
"It's just that that I've come about. You see he's awfully
conscientious, and when he's thought things over a bit, helped by my
aunt's amiable suggestions, he'll come to the conclusion that he ought
to marry you, you know--and so--well, he'll try to do it," he ended
lamely, hoping she would see the point without further elucidation on
his part.

She was quick to take him up.

"And you don't think that's just the best way for him to have a good
time? Sour grapes--eh, my son?"

"No, no; only he's certain to propose to you."

"Supposing he has done so?"

"Well--did