"Yes, that is Blair all over! And the earl heard of it?"
"Yes," he said, slowly, "he heard of it; and, as the combat took place just outside the Court gates, he was not altogether pleased. Blair's account is amusing."
"He shall tell me! He shall tell me!" she said, looking into vacancy, her cheeks mantling, her eyes glowing. "I—I have never seen him fight——"
"I dare say he would gratify any desire you may have in that direction. He is always ready to fight, and on the smallest provocation," remarked Austin Ambrose, with icy coldness.
"No," she said, "he is not! He is not easily provoked, but when he is—but what does it matter? We don't want to waste time quarreling about him. I want to hear all—all that occurred!"
"I came to tell you," he said, slowly. "The earl, notwithstanding his anger at the brawl outside the Court gates, offered to lend Blair the money to help him out of this difficulty, but Blair refused."
"And—and Ketton must go?" she said, in a tone of satisfaction.
"Ketton must go the way of the rest," he assented.
She nodded, her small eyes shining brightly—too brightly.
"Ketton gone; there is not much left to fall back upon, is there?"