ink that that child is really Lord
Popenjoy."

Neither did Lord George in his heart of hearts believe that the Italian
woman was a true Marchioness or the little child a true Lord Popenjoy;
but he had confessed to himself that he had no adequate reason for such
disbelief, and had perceived that it would become him to keep his
opinion to himself. The Dean had been explicit with him, and that very
explicitness had seemed to impose silence on himself. To his mother he
had not whispered an idea of a suspicion. With his sisters he had been
reticent, though he knew that Lady Sarah, at any rate, had her
suspicions. But now an open expression of the accusation from so dear a
friend as Mrs. Houghton,--from the Adelaide De Baron whom he had so
dearly loved,--gratified him and almost tempted him into confidence. He
had frowned at first, because his own family was to him so august that
he could not but frown when anyone ventured to speak of it. Even
crowned princes are driven to relax themselves on occasions, and Lord
George Germain felt that he would almost like, just for once, to talk
about his brothers and sisters as though they were Smiths and Joneses.
"It is very hard to know what to think," he said.

Mrs. Houghton at once saw that the field was open to her. She had
ventured a good deal, and, knowing the man, had felt the danger of
doing so; but she was satisfied now that she might say almost anything.
"But one is bound to think, isn't one? Don't you feel that? It is for
the whole family that you have to act."

"What is to be done? I can't go and look up evidence."

"But a paid agent can. Think of Mary. Think of Mary's child,--if she
should have one." As she said this she looked rather anxiously into his
face, being desirous of receiving an answer to a question which she did
not quite dare to ask.

"Of course there's all that," he said, not answering the question.

"I can only just remember him though papa knew him so well. But I
suppose he has lived abroad till he has ceased to think and feel like
an Englishman. Could anyone believe that a Marquis of Brotherton would
have married a wife long enough ago to have a son over twelve months
old, and never to have said a word about it to his brother or mother? I
don't believe it."

"I don't know what to believe," said Lord George.

"And then to write in such a way about the house! Of course I hear it
talked of by people who won't speak before you; but you ought to know."