ne point of
view--that it makes so little difference."

"You think," Sybil asked, "that he will really keep his word--that he
will not be reconciled with Lord Arranmore?"

"I am sure of it, my dear," Lady Caroom answered. "Unless a miracle
happens, he will continue to be Mr. Kingston Brooks for the next ten or
fifteen years, for Lord Arranmore's lifetime, and you know that they are
a long-lived race. So you see the situation remains practically
unaltered by what I have told you. Mr. Kingston Brooks is a great
favourite of mine. I am very fond of him indeed. But I very much
doubt--even if he should ask you--whether you would find your position
as his wife particularly comfortable. You and I, Sybil, have no secrets
from one another. I wish you would tell me exactly how you feel about
him."

Sybil smiled--a little ruefully.

"If I knew--exactly," she answered, "I should know exactly what to do.
But I don't. You know how uninteresting our set of young men are as a
rule. Well, directly I met Mr. Brooks at Enton I felt that he was
different. He interested me very much. Then I have always wanted to do
something useful, to get something different into my life, and he found
me exactly the sort of work I wanted. But he has never talked to me as
though he cared particularly though I think that he does a little."

"It is easy to see," Lady Caroom remarked, "that you are not head over
ears in love."

"Mother," Sybil answered, "do you believe that girls often do fall head
over ears in love? If Mr. Brooks and I met continually, and if he and
his father were reconciled, well, I think it would be quite easy for me
very soon to care for him a great deal. If even now he had followed me
here, was with us often, and showed that he was really very fond of me,
I think that I should soon be inclined to return it--perhaps even--I
don't know--to risk marrying him, and giving up our ordinary life. But
as it is I like to think of him, I should like him to be here; but I am
not, as you say, head over ears in love with him."

"And now about Atherstone?" Lady Caroom said.

"Well, Atherstone has improved a great deal," Sybil answered,
thoughtfully. "There are a great many things about him which I like
very much. He is always well dressed and fresh and nice. He enjoys
himself without being dissipated, and he is perfectly natural. He is
rather boyish perhaps, but then he is young. He is not afraid to laugh,
and I like the way he enters into ev