"Charles Audley?" said Vidal. He looked at his sister over frowningly, but not displeased. "Well, I must say I am surprised. A very good family - perfectly eligible!"
Augusta broke in angrily: "Eligible! A penniless younger son with no chance of inheriting the title! Pray, how do you propose to live, Bab? Do you see yourself in the tail of an army, sharing all the discomforts of a campaign with your Charles?"
"I might, I think," said Barbara, considering it. "It would be something new - exciting!"
"I have no patience with such folly!"
Vidal interposed to say in his heavy fashion: "It is not a brilliant match - by no means brilliant! I could wish him wealthier, but as for his being penniless - pooh! I daresay he has a very respectable competence."
"Then Bab will have to learn to live upon a competence," said Augusta. "I hope, my dear love, that you have not forgotten the terms of your late husband's will?"
"Oh, who cares! With a handsome fortune I had never enough money, so I may as happily live in debt on a mere competence."
This ingenious way of looking at the matter had the effect of pulling down the corners of Vidal's mouth. He began to read his sister a homily, but she interrupted him with a little show of temper, and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
Lady Vidal remarked that if one thing were more certain than another it was that the engagement would be of short duration.
"I hope not," replied Vidal. "Audley is a very good sort of fellow, very well-liked. If she throws him over it will go hard with her in the eyes of the world. What I fear is that a sensible man will never bear with her tantrums. I wish to God she had stayed in England!" He added with an inconsequence Augusta found irritating: "We must ask him to dine with us. I wish you will write him a civil note."