th energy.

"Not that girls ever really care about men now. They've got to be
married, and they make the best of it. She's very handsome, and I
suppose he's pretty well off."

"He will be very rich indeed. And they say he's such an excellent
young man when you know him."

"I dare say most young men are excellent,--when you come to know
them. What does Lord George say?"

"He's in raptures. He is very much attached to Lucinda, you know."
And so that affair was managed. They hadn't been home a quarter of an
hour before Frank Greystock was told. He asked Mrs. Carbuncle about
the sport, and then she whispered to him, "An engagement has been
made."

"Sir Griffin?" suggested Frank. Mrs. Carbuncle smiled and nodded her
head. It was well that everybody should know it.

CHAPTER XLII

Sunday Morning

"So, miss, you've took him?" said the joint Abigail of the Carbuncle
establishment that evening to the younger of her two mistresses. Mrs.
Carbuncle had resolved that the thing should be quite public. "Just
remember this," replied Lucinda, "I don't want to have a word said to
me on the subject." "Only just to wish you joy, miss." Lucinda turned
round with a flash of anger at the girl. "I don't want your wishing.
That'll do. I can manage by myself. I won't have you come near me if
you can't hold your tongue when you're told." "I can hold my tongue
as well as anybody," said the Abigail with a toss of her head.

This happened after the party had separated for the evening. At
dinner Sir Griffin had, of course, given Lucinda his arm; but so he
had always done since they had been at Portray. Lucinda hardly opened
her mouth at table, and had retreated to bed with a headache when the
men, who on that day lingered a few minutes after the ladies, went
into the drawing-room. This Sir Griffin felt to be almost an affront,
as there was a certain process of farewell for the night which he had
anticipated. If she was going to treat him like that, he would cut up
rough, and she should know it. "Well, Griff, so it's all settled,"
said Lord George in the smoking-room. Frank Greystock was there, and
Sir Griffin did not like it.

"What do you mean by settled? I don't know that anything is settled."

"I thought it was. Weren't you told so?"--and Lord George turned to
Greystock.

"I thought I heard a hint," said Frank.

"I'm ---- if I ever knew such people in my life!" said Sir Griffin.
"They don't seem to have an idea that a man'