There was flattery in this, ten or fifteen years of flattery. Miss S. was unmoved.
"I am happy to say that Lady Tristram never called at Seaview." Miss S.'s house was called Seaview—Sea-Backview would have been a more precise description.
"I call him in love with Janie Iver. He must want to marry her or——"
"They do say that money isn't very plentiful at Blent. And there'll be the Death Duties, you know."
"What are they?" asked Mina.
"Like stamps," explained Miss S., vaguely. "For my part, I think it's lucky he is what he is. There's been enough of falling in love in the Tristram family. If you ask me who is in love with her, of course it's poor young Broadley. Well, you know that, as you're always driving up to Mingham with her."
"We've only been three or four times, Miss Swinkerton."
"Six, I was told," observed Miss S., with an air of preferring accuracy. "Oh, I should be very pleased to see him married to Janie—Mr Tristram, I mean, of course—but she mustn't expect too much, my dear. Where's your uncle?"
"At Fairholme, I expect," answered the Imp demurely. As a matter of fact the Major had gone to Exeter on a business errand.