"She has soft brown hair and eyes, and a sweet gentle face; she is a
graceful, elegant, attractive girl," said he, curtly. "She sat alone
yesterday; for Arthur was in another part of the church, and Mrs. Ashton
was not there. Mrs. Ashton is not in good health, she tells me, and
cannot always come. The Rector's pew is the one with green curtains."

"Oh, _that_ vulgar-looking girl!" exclaimed Maude, her unjust words--and
she knew them to be unjust--trembling on her lips. "The Grand Sultan
might exalt her to be his chief wife, but he could never make a lady of
her, or get her to look like one."

"Be quiet, Maude," cried the countess-dowager, who, with all her own
mistakes, had the sense to see that this sort of disparagement would only
recoil upon them with interest, and who did not like the expression of
Lord Hartledon's face. "You talk as if you had seen this Mrs. Ashton,
Hartledon, since your return."

"I should not be many hours at Hartledon without seeing Mrs. Ashton," he
answered. "That's where I was yesterday afternoon, ma'am, when you were
so kindly anxious in your inquiries as to what had become of me. I dare
say I was absent an unconscionable time. I never know how it passes, once
I am with Anne."

"We represent Love as blind, you know," spoke Maude, in her desperation,
unable to steady her pallid lips. "You apparently do not see it, Lord
Hartledon, but the young woman is the very essence of vulgarity."

A pause followed the speech. The countess-dowager turned towards her
daughter in a blazing rage, and Val Elster quitted the room.

"Maude," said Lord Hartledon, "I am sorry to tell you that you have put
your foot in it."

"Thank you," panted Lady Maude, in her agitation. "For giving my opinion
of your Anne Ashton?"

"Precisely. You have driven Val away in suppressed indignation."

"Is Val of the Anne Ashton faction, that the truth should tell upon him,
as well as upon you?" she returned, striving to maintain an assumption of
sarcastic coldness.

"It is upon him that the words will tell. Anne is engaged to him."

"Is it true? Is Val really engaged to her?" cried the countess-dowager in
an ecstacy of relief, lifting her snub nose and painted cheeks, whilst a
glad light came into Maude's eyes again. "I did hear he was engaged to
some girl; but such reports of younger sons go for nothing."

"Val was engaged to her before he went abroad. Whether he will get her or
not, is another thing."

"To hear yo