humiliation, and heartbreak--leaving poor Billy with a heart that

ached, seeing the horror of him in her face.

[XXIII]

Mrs. Saumarez laughed bitterly.

"No," she said, "Billy cared for me, you know, a long time ago. And

this morning he told me he still cared. Billy doesn't pretend to be

a clever man, you see, and so he can afford to practice some of the

brute virtues, such as constancy and fidelity."

There was a challenging flame in her eyes, but Kennaston let the stab

pass unnoticed. To do him justice, he was thinking less of himself,