e harmless phrase, "It would be so very nice"--was at
work to bring about a match between Miss Fanshawe and Harold Purling.
She was one of a large family of girls and her father was an
impoverished peer. Besides, her career so far had not been an unmixed
success. Lady Gayfeather's young ladies had the reputation of being
the "quickest" in the town.

"I have met the son," went on Lady Calverly.

"Yes?" Phillipa's tone was one of absolute indifference.

"He is a gentleman."

"I have always heard of him as a solemn prig--'Old Steady' he was
named at college. I confess I have no special leaning to these very
proper and decorous youths."

"Do not say that you are harping still on that old affair. I assure
you Gilly Jillingham is unworthy of you. You are not thinking still of
each other, I sincerely hope?"

"I may be of him," said Phillipa bitterly. "He is not likely to think
of any one--but himself."

"I shall never forgive myself for surrendering you to Lady Gayfeather.
Nothing but misery seems to hang about her and her house. This last
affair--"

There had been a terrible scandal, not many months old, and hardly
forgotten yet, which had roused Lady Calverly to remove her cousin,
Phillipa Fanshawe, from the evil influences of Lady Gayfeather's set.
Whether or not the rescue had come in time it would be difficult to
say. Miss Fanshawe could hardly escape scot-free from her
associations, nor was it to her advantage that rumour had bracketed
her name with that of a successful but not popular man of fashion.
There had been a talk of marriage, but he had next to nothing; no more
had she.

"We must have an end to all that," said Lady Calverly decisively. "You
must promise me to forget Mr. Jillingham for good and all."

"Of course," replied Phillipa; but the pale face and that sad look in
her weary eyes belied her words.

It seemed as if she had shot her bolt at the target of life's
happiness, and that the arrow had fallen very wide of the gold.

CHAPTER III.

When old Purling bought the ----shire estates there was an ancient
manor-house on the property, a picturesque but inconvenient residence,
which did not at all come up to his ideas of a country gentleman's
place. It was therefore incontinently pulled down, and one of the most
fashionable architects of the day, having _carte blanche_ to build,
erected a Palladian pile of wide frontage and imposing dimensions on
the most prominent site he could find. I