ness--living by
myself, without any family, and that sort of thing. And I've come to
the conclusion that it's time Caroline and I were reconciled--"

"High time," said the Honourable John Ruffin readily.

"I'm fond of Caroline--in a way--"

"Your own way--an obscure, secret way," said the Honourable John Ruffin
in a cheerful tone.

The duke scowled at him, but went on: "You don't know how contrary
Caroline is--"

"How should I? I'm not married to her," said the Honourable John
Ruffin patiently.

"Well, she is. And I've been thinking that if she found she was
getting her way without interference, she wouldn't want it any longer."

The keen grey eyes of the Honourable John Ruffin sparkled:

"By Jove! This is subtlety! Marriage makes Machiavellis of us all.
Continue, Solomon," he said, with more respect in his tone.

"But I couldn't think of any way of letting her know she was getting
it. It's no use writin' to those scoundrels of lawyers of hers and
telling them. She'd only think it was a trap; or she'd think I'd caved
in, and be so cockahoop we should never get any forrader. Then I got
the idea. It looks a bit roundabout, but I believe it'll work, I do
really. But it'll take a lot of working, and I'm wondering whether
that little housekeeper of yours--what's her name--Mary Bride--will be
up to it."

"What on earth has Pollyooly got to do with it?" cried the Honourable
John Ruffin.

"A lot," said the duke firmly. "You know how like Marion she is. Why,
even Mrs. Hutton, who'd been with Marion for years, couldn't tell them
apart. Well, I want Mary Bride to be Marion."

"The deuce you do!" cried the Honourable John Ruffin.

"Yes," said the duke in the tone of a man who had quite made up his
mind. "I want her to come and live at the court as Marion. I'm going
to run her as my daughter, Lady Marion Ricksborough."

"But what on earth for?" cried the Honourable John Ruffin in a tone of
the liveliest bewilderment.

"Why, don't you see? At first Caroline will be awfully cockahoop at
getting her own way. Then she'll begin to see that Marion's out in the
cold, and I've got another daughter in her place. Then she'll kick
like fury. She'll send Marion back in a brace of shakes to take her
proper place. Then it'll be my turn to kick. I shan't be taking any
Marion--at least, not without Caroline comes back too," said the duke
with an air of uncommon animation.

He was looking brighter than ever