'What news?'
'That your little niece, the Scotch heiress, is going to marry him.'
'Who told you that?'
She dropped the paper she had picked up and stared. No doubt about his having won her whole attention at last.
'Please don't mind my knowing.'
But Lady John was visibly perturbed. 'Jean had set her heart on having a few days with just her family in the secret, before the flood of congratulation broke loose.'
'Oh, that's all right,' he said soothingly. 'I always hear things before other people.'
'Well, I must ask you to be good enough to be very circumspect.' Lady John spoke gravely. 'I wouldn't have my niece or Mr. Stonor think that any of us——'
'Oh, of course not.'
'She'll suspect something if you so much as mention Stonor; and you can't help mentioning Stonor!'