Some of the old friends
and acquaintances who Mrs. Polkington had offended, recognised the
Christian duty of forgiveness, and called upon her--to see how she
bore up. The Grayson girls, whose dance Cherie had refused at the
beginning of the month, came to see her. But they put off their call a
day to suit some theatrical rehearsal; by which means they lost the
entertainment they promised themselves, for by the time they did come
Cherie was ready for them and, with appropriate shyness, let it be
known that she herself was engaged to Mr. Brendon Smith.

At this piece of information the girls looked at one another, and
neither of them could think of anything smart to say. Afterwards they
told each other and their friends that it was "quick work," and "like
those Polkingtons." But at the time they could only offer suitable
congratulations to Cherie, who received them and carried off the
situation with a charming mingling of assurance and graciousness,
which was worthy of her mother.

But the Graysons were right in saying it was quick work; late one
afternoon Cherie heard of Mr. Harding's engagement; during the evening
she and her mother recognised their failure; in the night she saw that
Mr. Brendon Smith was her one chance of dignified withdrawal, and
before the next evening she had promised to marry him.

There were some people in Marbridge who pitied Mr. Smith (only the
Polkingtons put in the Brendon), but he did not need much pity, for
the good reason that he knew very well what he was doing and how it
was that his proposals came to be accepted. He was fond of Cherie, and
appreciated both her beauty and her several valuable qualities; but he
had no illusions about her or her family, and he knew, when he made
it, that his proposal would be accepted to cover a retreat. He was not
at all a humble and diffident individual, but he did not mind being
taken on these terms; he even saw some advantage in it in dealing with
the Polkingtons. If there was any mistake in the matter it was Cherie
when she said "Yes" to his suggestion, "Don't you think you'd better
marry me?" She probably did not know how completely she was getting
herself a master.

It was not a grand engagement; Mrs. Polkington could not pretend that
her son-in-law elect had aristocratic or influential connections; she
said so frankly--and her frankness, which was overstrained, was one of
her most engaging characteristics.

"It is no use pretending that I sho