"You are not angry?"

"I cannot be angry if it is as you say. But please understand I cannot
listen. It is not honorable. No--don't say anything else. But you must
go away."

Haddington made no further effort to step her. He was well content. When
a lady hears you hint that her betrothed is less devoted than you would
be in his place, and merely says the giving of such a hint is wrong, it
may be taken that her sole objection to it is on the score of morality;
and it is to be feared that objections based on this ground are not the
most efficacious in checking forward lovers. Perhaps Miss Bernard
thought they were. Haddington didn't believe she did.

"Go away?" he said to himself. "Hardly! The play is just beginning.
Little Lady Claudia wasn't far out."

It is very possible she was not far out in her estimation of Mr.
Haddington's character, as well as in her forecast of his prospects. But
the fruits of her shrewdness on this point were happily hid from the
gentleman concerned.




CHAPTER IV.

Sir Roderick Ayre Inspects Mr. Morewood's Masterpiece.