She knew how much he was under the influence of the Desmonds, and felt assured that something unpleasant would come out of that morning's episode; and apart from having such a husband as the Major, even with his great wealth and prospective title, too, Clare felt that she could not tolerate the close relationship of his sister, a _passé_ belle, horsey in nature and style, who had been engaged in intrigues and flirtations that were unnumbered, and more than once had made a narrow escape from being a source of downright scandal, for the Honourable Evelyn Desmond was fast--undeniably very fast indeed for an unmarried lady, and the queen of a fast set, too--yet it never reached the ears of Clare, though the rumour went current that she had dined at Richmond and elsewhere with Sir Carnaby Collingwood and some of the fastest men in the Brigade, and without any other chaperon than her brother. But then the baronet was more than old enough to be her father, with whom a late conversation now recurred to Clare's memory. While talking of Desmond, she had remarked: 'I am surprised, papa, that, with all her opportunities, his sister does not get married.' 'Why?' he asked, curtly. 'She has now been out for seven or eight seasons--even more, I think--and is getting quite _passé_! 'Yet she is much admired; besides, Clare, it is not her place to make proposals.' 'Of course not.' 'Nor is it every proposal she would accept, any more than yourself,' said the baronet, with a loftiness of manner. 'She seems to dazzle without touching men's hearts.' 'Indeed!' 'Papa, how sententious you have become! But really I don't think Evelyn will ever be married at all.' 'Time will show, Clare--time will show,' chuckled Sir Carnaby, showing all his brilliantly white Parisian teeth. 'It will not be her fault if she is _not_, papa,' said Violet, who had a special dislike to the lady in question. 'I wonder how long she has studied the language of the flowers in the conservatory with old Colonel Rakes' son?' 'Why?' 'And never got _him_ to propose, I mean, papa. Her eyes are handsome, yet they smiled exclusively, for the time, on young Rakes.' 'Violet!' 'One good flirtation, she told me, always led to another.' 'Surely that is not _her_ style,' said Sir Carnaby, with some asperity; 'and I have to request, Miss Violet, that you will not speak in this rough manner of any lady in the position of Miss Desmond.' This and many similar conversations of the kind now recurred to Clare, and led her to dread her father's questions, and perhaps his lectures, on the subject, and she began to feel sadness and doubt. From these thoughts she was roused by the entrance of a servant, who said: 'Miss Collingwood, a jeweller's man is here with the jewels from Bond Street for your inspection.' '_The_ jewels! what jewels? I ordered none,' said Clare. 'He 'ave Sir Carnaby's card, miss,' replied the man, pulling his long whiskers, in imitation of Desmond and others.