melted Diana.  How could she forbid his entry to the houses she frequented?  She was glad to see him.  He showed his pleasure in seeing her.  Remembering his tentative indiscretion on those foreign sands, she reflected that he had been easily checked:  and the like was not to be said of some others.  Beautiful women in her position provoke an intemperateness that contrasts touchingly with the self-restraint of a particular admirer.  Her ‘impassioned Caledonian’ was one of a host, to speak of whom and their fits of lunacy even to her friend Emma, was repulsive.  She bore with them, foiled them, passed them, and recovered her equanimity; but the contrast called to her to dwell on it, the self-restraint whispered of a depth of passion . . . .

She was shocked at herself for a singular tremble ’she experienced, without any beating of the heart, on hearing one day that the marriage of Percy Dacier and Miss Asper was at last definitely fixed.  Mary Paynham brought her the news.  She had it from a lady who had come across Miss Asper at Lady Wathin’s assemblies, and considered the great heiress extraordinarily handsome.

‘A golden miracle,’ Diana gave her words to say.  ’Good looks and gold together are rather superhuman.  The report may be this time true.’  Next afternoon the card of Lady Wathin requested Mrs. Warwick to grant her a private interview.

Lady Wathin, as one of the order of women who can do anything in a holy cause, advanced toward Mrs. Warwick, unabashed by the burden of her mission, and spinally prepared, behind benevolent smilings, to repay dignity of mien with a similar erectness of dignity.  They touched fingers and sat.  The preliminaries to the matter of the interview were brief between ladies physically sensible of antagonism and mutually too scornful of subterfuges in one another’s presence to beat the bush.

Lady Wathin began.  ’I am, you are aware, Mrs. Warwick, a cousin of your friend Lady Dunstane.’

‘You come to me on business?’ Diana said.

’It may be so termed.  I have no personal interest in it.  I come to lay certain facts before you which I think you should know.  We think it better that an acquaintance, and one of your sex, should state the case to you, instead of having recourse to formal intermediaries, lawyers—­’

‘Lawyers?’

’Well, my husband is a lawyer, it is true.  In the course of his professional vocations he became acquainted with Mr. Warwick.  We have latterly seen a good deal of him.  He is, I regret to say, seriously unwell.’

‘I have heard of it.’

’He has no female relations, it appears.  He needs more care than he can receive from hirelings.’

‘Are you empowered by him, Lady Wathin?’

’I am, Mrs. Warwick.  We will not waste time in apologies.  He is most anxious for a reconciliation.  It seems to Sir Cramborne and to me the most desireable thing for all parties concerned, if you can be induced to regard it in that light.  Mr. Warwick may or may not live; but the estrangement is quite undoubtedly the cause of his illness.  I touch on nothing connected with it.  I simply wish that you should not be in ignorance of his proposal and his condition.’