"I have done with racing, at any rate. The feeling of being in the
power of a lot of low blackguards is so terrible! I did love the poor
brute so dearly. And now what have you been doing?"

"Just nothing;--and have seen nobody. I went back to Grex after
leaving Killancodlem, and shut myself up in my misery."

"Why misery?"

"Why misery! What a question for you to ask! Though I love Grex, I am
not altogether fond of living alone; and though Grex has its charms,
they are of a melancholy kind. And when I think of the state of our
family affairs, that is not reassuring. Your father has just paid
seventy thousand pounds for you. My father has been good enough to
take something less than a quarter of that sum from me;--but still it
was all that I was ever to have."

"Girls don't want money."

"Don't they? When I look forward it seems to me that a time will come
when I shall want it very much."

"You will marry," he said. She turned round for a moment and looked
at him, full in the face, after such a fashion that he did not dare
to promise her further comfort in that direction. "Things always do
come right, somehow."

"Let us hope so. Only nothing has ever come right with me yet. What
is Frank doing?"

"I haven't seen him since he left Crummie-Toddie."

"And your sister?" she whispered.

"I know nothing about it at all."

"And you? I have told you everything about myself."

"As for me, I think of nothing but politics now. I have told you
about my racing experiences. Just at present shooting is up. Before
Christmas I shall go into Chiltern's country for a little hunting."

"You can hunt here?"

"I shan't stay long enough to make it worth while to have my horses
down. If Tregear will go with me to the Brake, I can mount him for a
day or two. But I dare say you know more of his plans than I do. He
went to see you at Grex."

"And you did not."

"I was not asked."

"Nor was he."

"Then all I can say is," replied Silverbridge, speaking in a low
voice, but with considerable energy, "that he can use a freedom with
Lady Mabel Grex upon which I cannot venture."

"I believe you begrudge me his friendship. If you had no one else
belonging to you with whom you could have any sympathy, would not you
find comfort in a relation who could be almost as near to you as a
brother?"

"I do not grudge him to you."

"Yes; you do. And what business have you to interfere?"

"None at all;--certainly. I will never do it aga