‘Perhaps they will live without society.’

’In some horrid little hovel in one of those narrow streets off Ecclestone Square,’ suggested Lesbia, shudderingly.  ’It is too dreadful to think of—­a young woman dooming herself to life-long penury, just because she is so foolish as to fall in love.’

‘Your days for falling in love are over, I suppose, Lesbia?’ said Maulevrier, contemplating his sister with keen scrutiny.

The beautiful face, so perfect in line and colour, curiously recalled that other face at Fellside; the dowager’s face, with its look of marble coldness, and the half-expressed pain under that, outward calm.  Here was the face of one who had not yet known pain or passion.  Here was the cold perfection of beauty with unawakened heart.

‘I don’t know; I am too busy to think of such things.’

’You have done with love; and you have begun to think of marriage, of establishing yourself properly.  People tell me you are going to marry Mr. Smithson.’

‘People tell you more about me than I know about myself.’

’Come now, Lesbia, I have a right to know the truth upon this point.  Your brother—­your only brother—­should be the first person to be told.’

’When I am engaged, I have no doubt you will be the first person, or the second person,’ answered Lesbia, lightly.  ’Lady Kirkbank, living on the premises, is likely to be the first.’

‘Then you are not engaged to Smithson?’

’Didn’t I tell you so just now?  Mr. Smithson did me the honour to make me an offer yesterday, at about this hour; and I did myself the honour to reject him.’

’And yet you were whispering together in the box last night, and you were riding in the Row with him this morning.  I just met a fellow who saw you together.  Do you think it is right, Lesbia, to play fast and loose with the man—­to encourage him, if you don’t mean to marry him?’

’How can you accuse me of encouraging a person whom I flatly refused yesterday morning?  If Mr. Smithson likes my society as a friend, must I needs deny him my friendship, ask Lady Kirkbank to shut her door against him?  Mr. Smithson is very pleasant as an acquaintance; and although I don’t want to marry him, there’s no reason I should snub him.’

’Smithson is not a man to be trifled with.  You will find yourself entangled in a web which you won’t easily break through.’

’I am not afraid of webs.  By-the-bye, is it true that Mr. Smithson is likely to get a peerage?’

’I have heard people say as much.  Smithson has spent no end of money on electioneering, and is a power in the House, though he very rarely speaks.  His Berkshire estate gives him a good deal of influence in that county; at the last general election he subscribed twenty thou to the Conservative cause; for, like most men who have risen from nothing, your friend Smithson is a fine old Tory.  He was specially elected at