"Sir, it was most unpleasant."
"Now, did you form any opinion as to the cause of this bickering? For instance, did you imagine that Mr. Fenley wished his son to break off relations with an undesirable acquaintance?"
"I did, sir."
"Is either Mr. Hilton or Mr. Robert engaged to be married? Or, I had better put it, had their father expressed any views as to either of his sons marrying suitably?"
"We, in the house, sir, had a notion that Mr. Fenley would like Mr. Robert to marry Miss Sylvia."
"Exactly. I expected that. Were these two young people of the same way of thinking?"
"They were friendly, sir, but more like brother and sister. You see, they were reared together. It often happens that way when a young gentleman and young lady grow up from childhood in each other's company. They never think of marriage, whereas the same young gentleman would probably fall head over heels in love with the same young lady if he met her elsewhere."
"Good!" broke in Furneaux. "Tomlinson, do you drink port?"
The butler looked his astonishment, but answered readily enough—