this_ the reason of her coldness? Did she fear that a sense
of duty would urge him to a marriage from which his heart still shrank?
Poor, proud, little girl! While she had something to give, she could
plead her own cause, but a penniless Teresa would accept no favour. On
the whole the news of the Major's losses brought Dane more relief than
sorrow. It solved the mystery of his chilling reception.

"Humph--yes! bad business--bad business," soliloquised the Squire.
"Eldest daughter came in for a bit of money, but she's kicked over the
traces... Rather a pill for her to settle down again with the old
woman,--what? Of course, you can look after Teresa..."

"I can," Dane said. After a moment's pause he continued deliberately.
"I shall arrange for our marriage to take place as early as possible.
Mrs Mallison may have conventional scruples... she probably will, but
she'll have to give way. I can't stay longer than Friday, and I must
get things settled before I leave." He rose, and straightened his
shoulders with the air of a man throwing off a weight. "You--er--you
will tell Lady Cassandra my plans, and explain to her that my time is so
limited that I--er--"

"Certainly. Certainly. She wouldn't expect it, my dear man. As a
matter of fact she and Mrs Beverley are off in town for the day,--
frock-hunting, I believe. They're always at it. Ripping little woman,
Mrs Beverley! lots of fun, but plenty of common sense tucked away
inside. Been a regular godsend to Cassandra..."

"Lady Cassandra is quite well?"

"Humph!" the Squire protruded his under lip. "So, so. Had a bit of a
breakdown in autumn. We had a hard time of it, after you left. My old
Mater had a stroke, and we were down in Devonshire looking after her for
a couple of months. She got on like a house on fire: helpless, you
know--couldn't stir out of bed, but keen as a needle, took in all that
was going on. Cassandra nursed her."

The Squire flicked the ash from his cigarette with a ruminating air.
"Rum things, women! Hated each other like poison, those two. That's to
say the Mater hated Cass; jealous, because she was my wife. Cass didn't
hate her... too much trouble. She was simply bored. She's given to
being bored; you know that. She's bored with your Teresa. Grizel's the
passion nowadays. Grizel is always perfect. But she was good to the
old Mater. Nursed her like a brick, and the old Mater lay there by the
hour staring at Cass. The