he best," said Lord George,
"because she has so much strength of character."

"Strength of character! You speak as if you were going away for three
years, and were leaving me in the midst of danger. You'll be back in
five days, I suppose. I really think I could have got on without
Susanna's--strength of character!" This was her revenge; but, all the
same, Lady Susanna came.

"She is as good as gold," said Lord George, who was himself as weak as
water. "She is as good as gold; but there is a young man comes here
whom I don't care for her to see too often." This was what he said to
Lady Susanna.

"Oh, indeed! Who is he?"

"Captain De Baron. You are not to suppose that she cares a straw about
him."

"Oh, no; I am sure there can be nothing of that," said Lady Susanna,
feeling herself to be as energetic as Cerberus, and as many-eyed as
Argus.

"You must take care of yourself now, master Jack," Mrs. Houghton said
to her cousin. "A duenna has been sent for."

"Duennas always go to sleep, don't they; and take tips; and are
generally open to reason?"

"Oh, heavens! Fancy tipping Lady Susanna! I should think that she never
slept in her life with both eyes at the same time, and that she thinks
in her heart that every man who says a civil word ought to have his
tongue cut out."

"I wonder how she'd take it if I were to say a civil word to herself?"

"You can try; but as far as Madame is concerned, you had better wait
till Monsieur is back again."

Lord George, having left his wife in the hands of Lady Susanna, went
down to Brotherton and on to Cross Hall. He arrived on the Saturday
after that first Sunday visit paid by the Marquis to his mother. The
early part of the past week had been very blank down in those parts. No
further personal attempts had been made to intrude upon the Manor Cross
mysteries. The Dean had not been seen again, even at Cross Hall. Mr.
Holdenough had made no attempt after the reception,--or rather
non-reception,--awarded to his wife. Old Mr. De Baron had driven over,
and had seen the Marquis, but nothing more than that fact was known at
Cross Hall. He had been there for about an hour, and as far as Mrs.
Toff knew, the Marquis had been very civil to him. But Mr. De Baron,
though a cousin, was not by any means one of the Germain party. Then,
on Saturday there had been an affair. Mrs. Toff had come to the Hall,
boiling over with the importance of her communication, and stating that
she had been--