"The election being to-morrow, of course his name is no secret?"
"Oh, no! Vermilye. Mr. Gerard Vermilye. Do you know him?"
"I have heard of him."
As he spoke—either intentionally or no—John looked full at Lady Caroline. She dropped her eyes and began playing with her bracelets. Both immediately quitted the subject of Kingswell election.
Soon after we rose from table; and Guy, who had all dinner-time fixed his admiring gaze upon the "pretty lady," insisted on taking her down the garden and gathering for her a magnificent arum lily, the mother's favourite lily. I suggested gaining permission first; and was sent to ask the question.
I found John and his wife in serious, even painful conversation.
"Love," he was saying, "I have known it for very long; but if she had not come here, I would never have grieved you by telling it."
"Perhaps it is not true," said Ursula, warmly. "The world is ready enough to invent cruel falsehoods about us women."
"'Us women!' Don't say that, Ursula. I will not have my wife named in the same breath with HER."
"John!"