by Lady
Tatham. It was evident that she regarded herself as under that lady's
particular protection.

"Well?" said Lady Tatham in an eager aside to her son. She read his
aspect as that of a man preoccupied.

Tatham shrugged his shoulders with a glance at Felicia. Victoria
whispered to Lydia: "Will you tell your mother I want to speak a few
words to Harry on business?"

Mother and son passed into the garden together.

"A declaration of war!" said Tatham, as he handed a letter to her. "I
propose to instruct our solicitors at once."

Victoria read hastily. The writing was Faversham's. But the mind
expressed was Melrose's. Victoria read him in every line. She believed
the letter to have been simply dictated.

"DEAR LORD TATHAM:

"I have laid Mrs. Melrose's statement before Mr. Melrose. I regret to say
that he sees no cause to modify the arrangements made years ago with
regard to his wife, except that, in consideration of the fact that Miss
Melrose is now grown up, he will add L20 yearly to Mrs. Melrose's
allowance, making it L100 a year. Provision will be made for the
continuance of this allowance to Mrs. Melrose till her death, and
afterward to the daughter for her lifetime; _on condition that_ Mr.
Melrose is not further molested in any way. Otherwise Mr. Melrose
acknowledges and will acknowledge no claim upon him whatever.

"I am to add that if Mrs. Melrose is in difficulties, it is entirely
owing to the dishonest rapacity of her family who have been living upon
her. Mr. Melrose is well acquainted with both the past and recent history
of Mr. Robert Smeath, who made a tool of Mrs. Melrose in the matter of a
disgraceful theft of a valuable bronze from Mr. Melrose's collection--"

"The Hermes!" cried Victoria. "She has never said one word to me about
it."

"Miss Melrose has been telling me the story," said Tatham, smiling at the
recollection. "By George, that's a rum little girl! She glories in it.
But she says her mother has been consumed with remorse ever since. Go
on."

"And if any attempt is made to blackmail or coerce Mr. Melrose, he will
be obliged, much against his will, to draw the attention of the Italian
police to certain matters relating to Mr. Smeath, of which he has the
evidence in his possession. He warns Mrs. Melrose that her father's
career cannot possibly bear examination.

"I regret that my reply cannot be more satisfactory to you.

"Believe me,

"Yours faithfully,

"CLAUDE FAVERSHAM."