ty and doubt increased to something like agitation a few days
later when he met a well-born woman of his acquaintance, who had "gone
in for" painting and living her own life, and had become a bit of a
Bohemian. She had happened to mention that she had seen his friend,
"that wonderful-looking Lady Sellingworth," dining at the _Bella Napoli_
on a recent evening. Naturally Braybrooke supposed that the allusion was
to the night of Lady Sellingworth's dinner with Beryl Van Tuyn, and
he spoke of the lovely girl as Lady Sellingworth's companion. But his
informant, looking rather surprised, told him that Lady Sellingworth
had been with a very handsome young man, and, on discreet inquiry being
made, gave an admirable description from the painter's point of view, of
Craven.

Braybrooke said nothing, but he was secretly almost distressed. He
though it such a mistake for his distinguished friend to go wandering
about in Soho alone with a mere boy. It was undignified. It was not the
thing. He could not understand it unless really she was losing her head.
And then he remembered her past. Although he never spoke of it, and now
seldom thought about it, Braybrooke knew very well what sort of woman
Adela Sellingworth had been. But her dignified life of ten years had
really almost wiped her former escapades out of his recollection.
There seemed to be a gulf fixed between the professional beauty and the
white-haired recluse of Berkeley Square. When he looked at her, sat with
her now, if he ever gave a thought to her past it was accompanied, or
immediately followed, by a mental question: "Was it _she_ who did that?"
or "Can _she_ ever have been like that?"

But now Braybrooke uneasily began to remember Lady Sellingworth's past
reputation and to think of the "old guard."

If she were to fall back into folly now, after what she had done ten
years ago, the "old guard" would show her no mercy. Her character would
be torn to pieces. He regretted very much his introduction of Craven
into her life. But how could he have thought that she would fascinate a
boy?

After much careful thought--for he took his social responsibilities and
duties very seriously--he resolved to take action on the lines which had
occurred to him when he first began to be anxious about Craven's feeling
towards Adela Sellingworth; he resolved to do his best to bring Beryl
Van Tun and Craven together.

The first step he took was to call on Miss Cronin when Beryl Van
Tuyn