But it could hardly be possible for a woman who looked at the world almost as a man looked at it,—­as an oyster to be opened with such weapon as she could find ready to her hand.  Lady Laura professed to have a care for all the affairs of the world.  She loved politics, and could talk of social science, and had broad ideas about religion, and was devoted to certain educational views.  Such a woman would feel that wealth was necessary to her, and would be willing, for the sake of wealth, to put up with a husband without romance.  Nay; might it not be that she would prefer a husband without romance?  Thus Phineas was arguing to himself as he was driven up to the door of Loughlinter Castle, while Mr. Ratler was eloquent on the beauty of old park trees.  “After all, a Scotch forest is a very scrubby sort of thing,” said Mr. Ratler.

There was nobody in the house,—­at least, they found nobody; and within half an hour Phineas was walking about the grounds by himself.  Mr. Ratler had declared himself to be delighted at having an opportunity of writing letters,—­and no doubt was writing them by the dozen, all dated from Loughlinter, and all detailing the facts that Mr. Gresham, and Mr. Monk, and Plantagenet Palliser, and Lord Brentford were in the same house with him.  Phineas had no letters to write, and therefore rushed down across the broad lawn to the river, of which he heard the noisy tumbling waters.  There was something in the air which immediately filled him with high spirits; and, in his desire to investigate the glories of the place, he forgot that he was going to dine with four Cabinet Ministers in a row.  He soon reached the stream, and began to make his way up it through the ravine.  There was waterfall over waterfall, and there were little bridges here and there which looked to be half natural and half artificial, and a path which required that you should climb, but which was yet a path, and all was so arranged that not a pleasant splashing rush of the waters was lost to the visitor.  He went on and on, up the stream, till there was a sharp turn in the ravine, and then, looking upwards, he saw above his head a man and a woman standing together on one of the little half-made wooden bridges.  His eyes were sharp, and he saw at a glance that the woman was Lady Laura Standish.  He had not recognised the man, but he had very little doubt that it was Mr. Kennedy.  Of course it was Mr. Kennedy, because he would prefer that it should be any other man under the sun.  He would have turned back at once if he had thought that he could have done so without being observed; but he felt sure that, standing as they were, they must have observed him.  He did not like to join them.  He would not intrude himself.  So he remained still, and began to throw stones into the river.  But he had not thrown above a stone or two when he was called from above.  He looked up, and then he perceived that the man who called him was his host.  Of course it was Mr. Kennedy.  Thereupon he ceased to throw stones, and went up the path, and joined them upon the bridge.  Mr. Kennedy stepped forward, and bade him welcome to Loughlinter.  His manner was less cold, and he seemed to have more words at command than was usual with him.  “You have not been long,” he said, “in finding out the most beautiful spot about the place.”