The young ladies were seen approaching, and Rosamund had to ask herself whether the first sight of a person like Miss Denham would be of a kind to exercise a lively influence over the political and other sentiments of a dreamy sailor just released from ship-service.  In an ordinary case she would have said no, for Nevil enjoyed a range of society where faces charming as Miss Denham’s were plentiful as roses in the rose-garden.  But, supposing him free of his bondage to the foreign woman, there was, she thought and feared, a possibility that a girl of this description might capture a young man’s vacant heart sighing for a new mistress.  And if so, further observation assured her Miss Denham was likely to be dangerous far more than professedly attractive persons, enchantresses and the rest.  Rosamund watchfully gathered all the superficial indications which incite women to judge of character profoundly.  This new object of alarm was, as the General had said of her, tall and slim, a friend of neatness, plainly dressed, but exquisitely fitted, in the manner of Frenchwomen.  She spoke very readily, not too much, and had the rare gift of being able to speak fluently with a smile on the mouth.  Vulgar archness imitates it.  She won and retained the eyes of her hearer sympathetically, it seemed.  Rosamund thought her as little conscious as a woman could be.  She coloured at times quickly, but without confusion.  When that name, the key of Rosamund’s meditations, chanced to be mentioned, a flush swept over Miss Denham’s face.  The candour of it was unchanged as she gazed at Rosamund, with a look that asked, ’Do you know him?’

Rosamund said, ‘I am an old friend of his.’

‘He is here now, in this town.’

‘I wish to see him very much.’

General Sherwin interposed:  ’We won’t talk about political characters just for the present.’

‘I wish you knew him, papa, and would advise him,’ his daughter said.

The General nodded hastily.  ‘By-and-by, by-and-by.’

They had in fact taken seats at a table of mutton pies in a pastrycook’s shop, where dashing military men were restrained solely by their presence from a too noisy display of fascinations before the fashionable waiting-women.

Rosamund looked at Miss Denham.  As soon as they were in the street the latter said, ‘If you will be good enough to come with me, madam . . .?’ Rosamund bowed, thankful to have been comprehended.  The two young ladies kissed cheeks and parted.  General Sherwin raised his hat, and was astonished to see Mrs. Culling join Miss Denham in accepting the salute, for they had not been introduced, and what could they have in common?  It was another of the oddities of female nature.

’My name is Mrs. Culling, and I will tell you how it is that I am interested in Captain Beauchamp,’ Rosamund addressed her companion.  ’I am his uncle’s housekeeper.  I have known him and loved him since he was a boy.  I am in great fear that he is acting rashly.’