"She is, indeed," said Mrs. Ellison, with decision, "and that is what makes the situation all the more dangerous—assuming, of course, that there is any ground for one's natural suspicions. No, Vin is the last man in the world to be captured by any vulgar adventuress; he is at once too fastidious and too proud. But then, you see, he is well known to be the son of a very wealthy man; and there might be a design—" She hesitated for a moment: then she said, half impatiently: "Lord Musselburgh, tell me how you came to know this old man: he could not have sprung out of the earth all of a sudden."
He told her, as briefly as might be.
"That was all?" she repeated, eyeing him shrewdly.
"Yes."
"You are sure?"
"What do you mean? That is really all I know of the old gentleman: isn't that what you asked?"
"But was that the whole of the interview, if I may be so impertinent as to inquire?" she demanded again.
"Ob, yes, it was," Lord Musselburgh said; and then he added, indifferently: "Of course I subscribed something towards the publication of a book he mentioned—he had written to me before about the project."
"Oh, there was money?" she said.
A slight tinge on Lord Musselburgh's forehead showed that he had not intended to make this admission.