ith his mother and sister after
this meeting. He was furious against both of them, and even against his
wife when it became known that she had gone to see and sympathise with
them. Warrender declared that he would consider any man his enemy who
spoke to him of Cavendish. He was furious with everything and everybody
concerned. He said that he had been covered with shame, though how no
one could tell. Lady Markland, who also was on the side of Dick, was
helpless to restrain her young husband. She too, poor lady, began to
feel that her lot was not one of unmixed good, nor her bed of roses.
Though the force of events had carried Theo over all the first drawbacks
to their marriage, he had never recovered the bitterness and exasperation
which these had given. He had not forgiven her, though he adored her,
for being still Lady Markland, and though he lived at Markland with her,
yet it was under a perpetual protest, to which in moments of excitement
he sometimes gave utterance, but which even in silence she was always
conscious of. His smouldering discontent burst forth on the occasion
given him by this _mariage manque_. The rage that filled him was not
called forth by Dick Cavendish alone. It was the outflow of all the
discontents and annoyances of his life.

And Minnie's outraged virtue was almost more rampant still. That Eustace
should have any connection with a scandal which had even got into the
newspapers, that a girl who was his sister-in-law should have got herself
talked about, was to Minnie a wrong which blazed up to heaven. "For
myself, I should not have minded," she said, "at least, however much I
minded I should have said as little as possible; but when I think that
Eustace has been made a gazing-stock to all the world through me--oh,
you may think it extravagant, but I don't. Of course, he has been made a
gazing-stock. 'Brother-in-law to _that_ Miss Warrender, you know'--that
is how people talk, as if it could possibly be his fault. I am sure he
bears it like an angel. All he has ever said, even to me, is, 'Minnie, I
wish we had looked into things a little more beforehand,' and what could
I say? I could only say you were all so headstrong, you would have your
own way."

"Next time he says so, you will perhaps refer him to me, Minnie. I think
I shall be able to answer Mr. Thynne!"

"Oh," cried Minnie, "by making a quarrel! I know your way of answering,
mamma. I tell Eustace if I had been at home it never, never c