She felt the laugh behind his words, so she answered gravely:

“No, Wally, Edouard was a dutiful son.”

He chuckled. Max turned at the sound.

“Don’t encourage her, Wally.”

“I can’t. It’s too late.”

“Don’t worry. I disinherited them both,” Isabelle assured him.

“Did she have any violent love affairs?” inquired Mrs. Bryce.

“There were two very devoted young men, Percy Pollock and Jack Porter. But I thought Isabelle handled them very well,” replied Miss Watts.

“Are you engaged to them?” whispered Wally again.