ruin of her.  Wherever he stood to represent Dr. Shrapnel, as against Mr. Grancey Lespel on account of the Itchincope encroachments, he left a sting that spread the rumour of his having become not only a black torch of Radicalism—­our modern provincial estateholders and their wives bestow that reputation lightly—­but a gentleman with the polish scratched off him in parts.  And he, though individually he did not understand how there was to be game in the land if game-preserving was abolished, signed his name R. C. S. Nevil Beauchamp for Dr. Shrapnel, in the communications directed to solicitors of the persecutors of poachers.

His behaviour to Grancey Lespel was eclipsed by his treatment of Captain Baskelett.  Cecil had ample reason to suppose his cousin to be friendly with him.  He himself had forgotten Dr. Shrapnel, and all other dissensions, in a supremely Christian spirit.  He paid his cousin the compliment to think that he had done likewise.  At Romfrey and in London he had spoken to Nevil of his designs upon the widow:  Nevil said nothing against it and it was under Mrs. Wardour-Devereux’s eyes, and before a man named Lydiard, that, never calling to him to put him on his guard, Nevil fell foul of him with every capital charge that can be brought against a gentleman, and did so abuse, worry, and disgrace him as to reduce him to quit the house to avoid the scandal of a resort to a gentleman’s last appeal in vindication of his character.  Mrs. Devereux spoke of the terrible scene to Cecilia, and Lydiard to Miss Denham.  The injured person communicated it to Lord Avonley, who told Colonel Halkett emphatically that his nephew Cecil deserved well of him in having kept command of his temper out of consideration for the family.  There was a general murmur of the family over this incident.  The widow was rich, and it ranked among the unwritten crimes against blood for one offshoot of a great house wantonly to thwart another in the wooing of her by humbling him in her presence, doing his utmost to expose him as a schemer, a culprit, and a poltroon.

Could it be that Beauchamp had reserved his wrath with his cousin to avenge Dr. Shrapnel upon him signally?  Miss Denham feared her guardian was the cause.  Lydiard was indefinitely of her opinion.  The idea struck Cecilia Halkett, and as an example of Beauchamp’s tenacity of purpose and sureness of aim it fascinated her.  But Mrs. Wardour-Devereux did not appear to share it.  She objected to Beauchamp’s intemperateness and unsparingness, as if she was for conveying a sisterly warning to Cecilia; and that being off her mind, she added, smiling a little and colouring a little:  ‘We learn only from men what men are.’  How the scene commenced and whether it was provoked, she failed to recollect.  She described Beauchamp as very self-contained in manner throughout his tongue was the scorpion.  Cecilia fancied he must have resembled his uncle Everard.

Cecilia was conquered, but unclaimed.  While supporting and approving him in her heart she was dreading to receive some new problem of his conduct; and still while she blamed him for not seeking an interview with her, she liked him for this instance of delicacy in the present state of his relations with Lord Avonley.