"With Mr. Daubeny as whipper-in, perhaps he might," said Lady Laura.
"And will Mr. Finn lose his seat?" asked Violet Effingham. "Most probably," said the Earl. "He only got it by an accident."
"You must find him a seat somewhere in England," said Violet.
"That might be difficult," said the Earl, who then left the room.
The two women remained together for some quarter of an hour before they spoke again. Then Lady Laura said something about her brother. "If there be a dissolution, I hope Oswald will stand for Loughton." Loughton was a borough close to Saulsby, in which, as regarded its political interests, Lord Brentford was supposed to have considerable influence. To this Violet said nothing. "It is quite time," continued Lady Laura, "that old Mr. Standish should give way. He has had the seat for twenty-five years, and has never done anything, and he seldom goes to the House now."
"He is not your uncle, is he?"
"No; he is papa's cousin; but he is ever so much older than papa;—nearly eighty, I believe."
"Would not that be just the place for Mr. Finn?" said Violet.
Then Lady Laura became very serious. "Oswald would of course have a better right to it than anybody else."
"But would Lord Chiltern go into Parliament? I have heard him declare that he would not."