rest he might in the business.... Just _one_ of
these hot cakes, dear Lady Harriet--you're making such a wretched
tea!... I should like you to see my youngest child, Ruby. She's gone out
to tea with some little friends of hers, but she may be back before you
go. So much admired--such lovely colouring! But just a _little_
difficult to manage. Governess after governess have I had, and none of
them could do anything with her. My present one, however, she seems to
have taken to. Miss Heritage, her name is--at least she was adopted as a
baby by a rich widow of that name, and brought up in every luxury. But
Mrs. Heritage died without making a will, and it seems she'd muddled
away most of her money, and there were claims on what she left, so the
poor girl had to turn out, and earn her own living. Such a sad little
story, is it not? I felt it was really a charity to engage her. I'm not
sure that I can keep her much longer, though. She's far too good-looking
for a governess, and there's always a danger with a marriageable young
man in the house, but fortunately Clarence has too much sense and
principle to marry out of his own rank. I do think that's _such_ a
mistake, don't you, dear Lady Harriet? Look at the Duke of Mountravail's
heir, the young Marquis of Muscombe--married only last month at a
registry office to a girl who was in the chorus at the Vivacity! I hear
she comes of quite a respectable family, and all that," admitted Mrs.
Stimpson, who derived her information from her Society journals. "But
still, can you _wonder_ at the poor Duke and Duchess being upset by it?
I've no doubt you are constantly coming across similar instances in
Smart Society."

Lady Harriet disclaimed all acquaintanceship with Smart Society, which
Mrs. Stimpson protested she could not believe. "I am sure you have the
_entree_ into _any_ set, Lady Harriet, even the smartest! Which reminds
me. _Have_ you heard anything more about that mysterious disappearance
of the Dowager Duchess of Gleneagle's diamonds during her journey from
the North last week? A tiara, _and_ a dog-collar, I was told.
Professional thieves, I suppose, but don't you think the Duchess's
maid?--Oh, _really_? I made _sure_ you would be a friend of the
Duchess's--but, of course, Society is so much larger than it used to
be!"

"You are a far better authority than I can pretend to be about it," Lady
Harriet owned smilingly; "and really you've given me so much interesting
information tha