s was
a toy, to be played with as she would. The strongest, the wisest, the
most honest, the best, were but wax in her hands. She did just as she
would with them, and it was so cleverly done, so skillfully managed,
that they never had the faintest idea my lady was twining them around
her little fingers. She had two modes of strategy. One was by grand
moves, one alone of which was enough to carry a nation. The other means
was by a series of finest possible details of intrigue.

She said to herself that her son's marriage with this person should be
set aside in some fashion or other, and in the end she prevailed. That
was by one grand move.

She was equally resolved that her son should marry Lady Marion Erskine,
the beauty, the belle, the wealthiest heiress of the season, and by a
series of fine, well-directed maneuvers, she was determined to
accomplish that.

The fates were propitious to her. Lady Marion Erskine was the niece and
ward of Lady Cambrey, and Lady Cambrey, though guardian of one of the
wealthiest heiresses in Europe, was herself poor and almost needy. She
was a distant relative of Lady Marion's mother, who had asked her to
undertake the charge of her child, and Lady Cambrey had been only too
pleased to undertake it. It was arranged that she should remain with
Lady Marion Erskine until her marriage, and Lady Cambrey was wise enough
to know that she must find her future fortune from the marriage. She
must use all her influence in favor of the lover who offered the
greatest advantages, and Lady Lanswell was the only woman in England who
had the wit to find it out.

That was the darling wish of her life, that her son should marry Lady
Marion Erskine, the belle, beauty and heiress; and she saw the beginning
of her tactics from this fact, that Lady Cambrey's influence would go
with the most munificent lover.

They had one interview in London. The countess had invited Lady Cambrey
to a five-o'clock tea.

"We have hardly met this year," said the countess. "We are staying in
London for a week or two, though it is quite out of season, and I am so
pleased to see you. Is Lady Erskine in town?"

"No; I merely came up to give orders for the redecoration of Erskine
House; Lady Marion is tired of it as it is."

"I call it a special providence that you should be in town just now,"
said Lady Lanswell; "I was quite delighted when I heard it. There is
nothing I enjoy more than a cup of tea and a chat with a congenial