“‘But I regret to state that a report has now reached us that this marriage is not likely to come off, and your enemies have the audacity to allege that you are contemplating a union with a singer on the music-hall stage whose name has been a target for the breath of scandal. Your friends have, of course, indignantly denied the rumor, but we think it would be desirable in your interest that you should at once write me a formal contradiction, which could be inserted, if necessary, in the local press. Trusting you will see your way to do this, and apologizing for the liberty I have taken, with very kind regards, I am, yours sincerely,
“‘Edward Dobbin.’”
“He gets rather prosy towards the end, doesn’t he?” commented Victoria, who had listened in silence to that part of the letter.
“You haven’t heard the postscript,” said Hammond. “‘P.S.—If you could at the same time authorize me to announce your engagement to Lady Beauchamp-Mauleverer, we consider it would have an excellent effect.’”
“Artful old thing! He is almost as bad as my mother.”
Hammond folded up the letter and put it back in his pocket.
“Well, now, what do you advise me to do?”
“Oh, send the contradiction, by all means.”
“And what about the further announcement?”
Their eyes met seriously for the first time. Victoria answered, in the same light tone: