and saw how things were there, it was no good even to
plan how and when to spend. Five pounds she did spend; it was really
her saving accumulated by economy in Holland, but she reckoned it as
drawn from her estate. Johnny found it in an envelope when he returned
to the back bedroom, and with it a note to say that it was in part
payment of Captain Polkington's debts, for which, of course, his
family were responsible; "and if you make a fuss about it," the letter
concluded, dropping the business-like style, "I shall trim 'Bouquet'
to stink next time you come to Marbridge, and not come and sit with
you."

I think Johnny sat down and wept over that letter; but then he was
rather a silly old man and he had not had a good meal, except last
night's steak and onions, for a fortnight.

CHAPTER XIV

THE END OF THE CAMPAIGN

The great Polkington campaign was over and it had failed. Mrs.
Polkington and Cherie cheered each other with assurances of a contrary
nature as long as they could, but for all that it had really failed
and they knew it. There had been some small successes by the way; they
had received a little recognition in superior places, and a few, a
very few, invitations of a superior order at the cost, of course, of
refusing and so offending some old friends and acquaintances. It might
perhaps have been possible to achieve the position at which Mrs.
Polkington aimed in the course of time, or a very long time; society
in the country moves slowly, and she could not afford to wait
indefinitely; her financial ability was not equal to it. Moreover,
there came into her affairs, not exactly a crash, but something so
unpleasantly like a full stop that she and Cherie could not fail to
perceive it. This occurred on the day when they heard of Mr. Harding's
engagement. Mr. Harding was the eligible bachelor addition to county
society whose advent had materially assisted in giving definite form
to Mrs. Polkington's ambition. He had helped to feed it, too, during
the late summer and early autumn, for he had been friendly, though
Cherie was forced to admit that his attentions to her had not been
very marked. But now the news was abroad that he was engaged to a girl
in his own circle; one whose mother had not yet extended any greater
recognition to Mrs. Polkington than an invitation to a Primrose League
Fete.

This news was abroad in the middle of October, and there was a certain
amount of unholy satisfaction in Marbridge.