"Miss Mannering," Sir Leslie said, gravely, "is not at all attracted by young men. She prefers something more staid. I have serious hopes that before our little tour is over I shall have persuaded her to marry me!" "You dear man!" Clara exclaimed. "I only wish you'd give me the chance." "There's a brazen child to have to chaperon," the Duchess said. "Positively asking for a proposal." "And not in vain," Sir Leslie declared. "Walk down to the sea with me, Miss Clara, and I'll propose to you in my most approved fashion. I think you said that the investments were sound, Mannering?" "The investments are all right," Mannering answered, "but I shall have nothing to do with fortune-hunters." "And I a Cabinet Minister!" Sir Leslie declared. "Miss Clara, let us have that walk." "To-morrow night," she promised. "When I get up it will be to go to bed. Even your love-making, Sir Leslie, could not keep me awake to-night." The Duchess rose. The dust was gone, but she was pale, and looked tired. "Let us leave these men to make plans for us," she said. "I hope we shall see something of you to-morrow, Mr. Mannering. Good-night, everybody." Mannering rose and bowed with the others. For a moment their eyes met. Not a muscle of her face changed, and yet Mannering was conscious of a sudden wave of emotion. He understood that she had not forgotten! CHAPTER II THE SNUB FOR BORROWDEAN Berenice sat at one of the small round tables in the courtyard, finishing her morning coffee. Sir Leslie sat upon the steps by her side. It was one of those brilliant mornings in early September, when the sunlight seems to find its way everywhere. Even here, surrounded by the pile of worn grey stone buildings, which threw shadows everywhere, it had penetrated. A long shaft of soft, warm light stretched across the cobbles to their feet. Berenice, slim and elegant, fresh as the morning itself, glanced up at her companion with a smile. "Clara," she remarked, "does not like to be kept waiting." "She is not down yet," he answered, "and there is something I want to say to you." Her delicate eyebrows were a trifle uplifted. "Do you think that you had better?" she asked. "I am a man," he said, "and things are known to me which a woman would scarcely discover. Do you think that it is quite fair to send Lady Redford out motoring with Mrs. Mannering?" "Why not?" "Lady Redford is, of course, ignorant of Mrs. Mannering's antecedents. What you may do yourself concerns no one. You make your own social laws, and you have a right to. But I do not think that even you have a right to pass Blanche Phillimore on to your friends, even under the shelter of Mannering's name." Berenice looked at him for several seconds without speaking. Borrowdean bit his lip.