that she would soon repent her of this resolve. In the mean time, if
she would have it so, she should have it so.

So that was an end of this question of Mr. Ingram's interference for
the present. But very soon--in a couple of days, indeed--Lavender
perceived the change that had been wrought in the house in Holland
Park to which he had been accustomed to resort.

"Cecilia," Mrs. Kavanagh had said on Ingram's leaving, "you must not
be rude to Mr. Lavender." She knew the perfect independence of that
gentle young lady, and was rather afraid it might carry her too far.

"Of course I shall not be, mamma," Mrs. Lorraine had said. "Did
you ever hear of such a courageous act as that man coming up to two
strangers and challenging them, all on behalf of a girl married to
some one else? You know that was the meaning of his visit. He thought
I was flirting with Mr. Lavender and keeping him from his wife. I
wonder how many men there are in London who would have walked twenty
yards to help in such a matter?'

"My dear, he may have been in love with that pretty young lady before
she was married."

"Oh no," said the clear-eyed daughter quietly, but quite confidently.
"He would not be so ready to show his interest in her if that were so.
Either he would be modest, and ashamed of his rejection, or vain, and
attempt to make a mystery about it."

"Perhaps you are right," said the mother: she seldom found her
daughter wrong on such points.