He made as if to rise, but her ladyship laid her hand upon his arm.
“Stop a moment,” she exclaimed. “This is a serious matter, Sir Grantley, and it must be cleared up.”
“Don’t say a word about it, please,” he replied, with some trepidation.
“I shall not say a word,” replied her ladyship; “but you are under a mistake, Sir Grantley. Mr Melton has a handsome private income.”
“Where from?” replied the baronet. “His father has not a rap.”
“Then he has magnificent expectations.”
“Did he tell you this?” said Sir Grantley, screwing his glass very tightly into his eye.
“N-no,” said her ladyship. “There, I will be frank with you, Sir Grantley. You are a gentleman, and I can trust you.”
“I hope so,” he replied, stiffly.
“The fact is,” said her ladyship, “seeing that there was a growing intimacy between my daughter and Mr Melton, who is the son of an old Eton schoolfellow of Lord Barmouth, I made some inquiries.”