If he will talk about his cellar, Felix, punish it," whispered
Vanleigh, as they drew closer; but Sir Felix Landells's thoughts were in
the drawing-room, and though Sir Hampton persisted in talking about his
cellar--how many dozens of this he had laid down, how many dozens of
that; how he had been favoured by getting a few dozens of Sir Magnum
O'pus's port at the sale, and so on ad infinitum--Sir Felix refrained
from looking upon the wine when it was red; and as soon as etiquette
allowed they joined the ladies in the drawing-room, where Trevor had the
mortification of seeing Vanleigh resume his position by Tiny, while
Landells loomed over Fin like an aristocratic poplar by a rose-bush.

Trevor consoled himself, though, by sitting down by pleasant Lady Rea,
while Sir Hampton crackled at Pratt, talked politics to him, and his
ideas of Parliament, and Aunt Matty fanned herself, as she treated
Pepine to the sensation of lavender poplin as a couch.

"What a nice little man your friend is, Mr Trevor," began Lady Rea; "I
declare he's the nicest, sensiblest man I ever met."

"I'm glad you like him, Lady Rea," said Trevor, earnestly; "but I want
to talk to you."

"There isn't anything the matter, is there?" said Lady Rea, anxiously.

Trevor looked at her for an instant, and saw that in her face which
quickened his resolve, already spumed into action by the markedly
favoured attentions of Vanleigh to the elder daughter of the house.

"Lady Rea," he said, "I'm in trouble."

"I'm so sorry," she said, with simple, genuine condolence. "Can I help
you?"

"Indeed you can," said Trevor; and he proceeded to tell her what he had
discovered respecting Mrs Lloyd's designs.

"Well, I never knew such impudence!" cried Lady Rea, indignantly.

"You will sing now to oblige me," said Vanleigh; but for the time, Tiny
declined, and Fin was carried off to the piano by Sir Felix.

"Do you know `Won't you tell me why, Robin?'" said Sir Felix, beaming
down at the little maiden.

"Yes," said Fin, sharply.

"Then do sing it."

"I shall sing `Maggie's Secret' instead," said Fin, sending the colour
flushing into her sister's face, as she rattled it out, with tremendous
aplomb given to the words--

So I tell them they needn't come wooing to me.

Meanwhile, Trevor went on pouring his troubles into Lady Rea's attentive
ears, as Sir Hampton prosed, Aunt Matty dozed with a smile on her
countenance, Pepine snoozed in her lap in a satin tent m