Mr. Abner, hatted and gloved and smiling, came forth.  “Going out, the man meant, Lady Charlotte.  At your service for five minutes.”

She complimented his acuteness, in the remark, “You see I’ve only come to chat,” and entered his room.

He led her to her theme:  “The excitement is pretty well over.”

“My brother’s my chief care—­always was.  I’m afraid he’ll be pitchforking at it again, and we shall have another blast.  That letter ought never to have been printed.  That editor deserves the horsewhip for letting it appear.  If he prints a second one I shall treat him as a personal enemy.”

“Better make a friend of him.”

“How?”

“Meet him at my table.”

She jumped an illumined half-about on her chair.  “So I will, then.  What are the creature’s tastes?”

“Hunts, does he?” The editor rose in her mind from the state of neuter to something of a man.  “I recollect an article in that paper on the Ormont duel.  I hate duelling, but I side with my brother.  I had to laugh, though.  Luckily, there’s no woman on hand at present, as far as I know.  Ormont’s not likely to be hooked by garrison women or blacks.  Those coloured women—­some of ours too—­send the nose to the clouds; not a bad sign for health.  And there are men like that old Cardinal Guicciardini tells of...hum!  Ormont’s not one of them.  I hope he’ll stay in India till this blows over, or I shall be hearing of provocations.”

“You have seen the Duke?”

She nodded.  Her reserve was a summary of the interview.  “Kind, as he always is,” she said.  “Ormont has no chance of employment unless there’s a European war.  They can’t overlook him in case of war.  He’ll have to pray for that.”

“Let us hope we shan’t get it.”

“My wish; but I have to think of my brother.  If he’s in England with no employment, he’s in a mess with women and men both.  He kicks if he’s laid aside to rust.  He has a big heart.  That’s what I said:  all he wants is to serve his country.  If you won’t have war, give him Gibraltar or Malta, or command of one of our military districts.  The South-eastern ’ll be vacant soon.  He’d like to be Constable of the Castle, and have an eye on France.”

“I think he’s fond of the French?”

“Loves the French.  Expects to have to fight them all the same.  He loves his country best.  Here’s the man everybody’s abusing!”

“I demur, my lady.  I was dining the other day with a client of mine, and a youngster was present who spoke of Lord Ormont in a way I should like you to have heard.  He seemed to know the whole of Lord Ormont’s career, from the time of the ride to Paraguay up to the capture of the plotting Rajah.  He carried the table.”

“Good boy!  We must turn to the boys for justice, then.  Name your day for this man, this editor.”

“I will see him.  You shall have the day to-night.”