"Ferrier made a very disappointing speech. All our fellows are getting restive."
Lady Lucy looked astonished.
"Surely they ought to trust his judgment! He has done so splendidly for the party."
Marsham shook his head.
"I wish you would use your influence," he said, slowly. "There is a regular revolt coming on. A large number of men on our side say they won't be led by him; that if we come in, he must go to the Lords."
Lady Lucy started.
"Oliver!" she said, indignantly, "you know it would break his heart!"
And before both minds there rose a vision of Ferrier's future, as he himself certainly conceived it. A triumphant election--the Liberals in office--himself, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and leader of the Commons--with the reversion of the Premiership whenever old Lord Broadstone should die or retire--this indeed had been Ferrier's working understanding with his party for years; years of strenuous labor, and on the whole of magnificent generalship. Deposition from the leadership of the Commons, with whatever compensations, could only mean to him, and to the world in general, the failure of his career.
"They would give him Foreign Affairs, of course," said Marsham, after a pause.
"Nothing that they could give him would make up!" said Lady Lucy, with energy. "You certainly, Oliver, could not lend yourself to any intrigue of the kind."