"You will have visitors at Rivenoak next week. Sir William Amys is to be there for a day or two, and Lord Dymchurch—"
"Lord Dymchurch?"
The girl threw off her air of cold concentration, and shone triumphantly.
"Does it surprise you, May?"
"Oh, I hadn't thought of it—I didn't know my aunt had invited him—"
"The wonder is that Lord Dymchurch should have accepted," said Mrs. Toplady, with a very mature archness. "Did he know, by the bye, that you were going down?"
"I fancy he did."
Their eyes met, and May relieved her feelings with a little laugh.
"Then perhaps the wonder ceases. And yet, in another way—" Mrs. Toplady broke off, and added in a lower voice, "Of course you know all about his circumstances?"
"No, indeed I don't. Tell me about him, please."