On seating themselves at the table Kenelm was on the left hand, next to
the hostess, and separated from Lily by Mrs. Cameron and Mr. Emlyn;
and when the vicar had said grace, Lily glanced behind his back and her
aunt's at Kenelm (who did the same thing), making at him what the French
call a _moue_. The pledge to her had been broken. She was between two
men very much grown up,--the vicar and the host. Kenelm returned the
_moue_ with a mournful smile and an involuntary shrug.

All was silent till, after his soup and his first glass of sherry, Sir
Thomas began,--

"I think, Mr. Chillingly, we have met before, though I had not the
honour then of making your acquaintance." Sir Thomas paused before he
added, "Not long ago; the last State ball at Buckingham Palace."

Kenelm bent his head acquiescingly. He had been at that ball.

"You were talking with a very charming woman,--a friend of mine,--Lady
Glenalvon."

(Sir Thomas was Lady Glenalvon's banker.)

"I remember perfectly," said Kenelm. "We were seated in the picture
gallery. You came to speak to Lady Glenalvon, and I yielded to you my
place on the settee."

"Quite true; and I think you joined a young lady, very handsome,--the
great heiress, Miss Travers."

Kenelm again bowed, and, turning away as politely as he could, addressed
himself to Mrs. Cameron. Sir Thomas, satisfied that he had impressed
on his audience the facts of his friendship with Lady Glenalvon and his
attendance at the court ball, now directed his conversational powers
towards the vicar, who, utterly foiled in the attempt to draw out
Lily, met the baronet's advances with the ardour of a talker too long
suppressed. Kenelm continued, unmolested, to ripen his acquaintance with
Mrs. Cameron. She did not, however, seem to lend a very attentive ear to
his preliminary commonplace remarks about scenery or weather, but at his
first pause, said,--

"Sir Thomas spoke about a Miss Travers: is she related to a gentleman
who was once in the Guards, Leopold Travers?"

"She is his daughter. Did you ever know Leopold Travers?"

"I have heard him mentioned by friends of mine long ago,--long ago,"
replied Mrs. Cameron with a sort of weary languor, not unwonted, in her
voice and manner; and then, as if dismissing the bygone reminiscence
from her thoughts, changed the subject.

"Lily tells me, Mr. Chillingly, that you said you were staying at Mr.
Jones's, Cromwell Lodge. I hope you are made comfortable there."