‘It’s in the family.  She will overlook anything her brother excuses.’

‘I’m here to see him.’

‘I heard it from Mr. Wythan.’

‘"Owain,” I believe?’

Henrietta sketched apologies, with a sidled head, soft pout, wavy hand.  ’He belongs to the order of primitive people.  His wife—­the same pattern, one supposes—­pledged them to their Christian names.  The man is a simpleton, but a gentleman; and Janey holds his dying wife’s wish sacred.  We are all indebted to him.’

‘Whatever she thinks right!’ said Fleetwood.

The fair young woman’s warm nature flew out to him on a sparkle of grateful tenderness in return for his magnanimity, oblivious of the inflamer it was:  and her heart thanked him more warmly, without the perilous show of emotion, when she found herself secure.

She was beautiful, she was tempting, and probably the weakest of players in the ancient game of two; and clearly she was not disposed to the outlaw game; was only a creature of ardour.  That he could see, seeing the misinterpretation a fellow like Brailstone would put upon a temporary flush of the feminine, and the advantage he would take of it, perhaps not unsuccessfully—­the dog!  He committed the absurdity of casting a mental imprecation at the cunning tricksters of emotional women, and yelled at himself in the worn old surplice of the converted rake.  But letting his mind run this way, the tradito amor of the band outside the lady’s window was instantly traced to Lord Brailstone; so convictingly, that he now became a very counsel for an injured husband in denunciation of the seductive compliment.

Henrietta prepared to conduct him to Lekkatts; her bonnet was brought.  She drew forth a letter from a silken work-bag, and raised it,—­Livia’s handwriting.  ’I ‘ve written my opinion,’ he said.

‘Not too severe, pray.’

‘Posted.’

‘Livia wanted a protector.’

‘And chose—­what on earth are you saying!’

Livia and her boyish lord were abandoned on the spot, though Henrietta could have affirmed stoutly that there was much to be pleaded, if a female advocate dared it, and a man would but hear.

His fingers were at the leaves of a Spanish dictionary.

‘Oh yes, and here we have a book of Travels in Spain,’ she said.  ‘Everything Spanish for Janey now.  You are aware?—­no?’

He was unaware and desired to be told.

’Janey’s latest idea; only she would have conceived the notion.  You solve our puzzle, my lord.’

She renewed the thanks she persisted in offering for the military music now just ceasing:  vexatiously, considering that it was bad policy for him to be unmasking Brailstone to her.  At the same time, the blindness which rendered her unconscious of Brailstone’s hand in sending members of a military band to play selections from the favourite opera they had jointly drunk of to ecstasy, was creditable; touching, when one thought of the pursuer’s many devices, not omitting some treason on the part of her present friend.