"Then it could not be true that she had no pupils, as she told Sir Philip," said Lady Caroline, looking at her daughter. Margaret was silent for a little time. Then she said, very deliberately-- "I am almost afraid, mamma, that Janetta is not quite straightforward." "That was always my own idea," said Lady Caroline, rather eagerly. "I never quite trusted her, darling." "We always used to think her so truthful and courageous," said Margaret, with regret. "But I am afraid----You know, mamma, I asked her what Sir Philip said to her, and she did not say a single word about having talked to him of our leaving Miss Polehampton's. She said he had spoken of her father, and of getting pupils for her, and so on." "Very double-faced!" commented Lady Caroline. "And--mamma, she must have seen Sir Philip again, because he had told her that we--that I--that we had quarreled a little, you know." And Margaret really believed that she was speaking the truth. "I think it is quite shocking," said Lady Caroline. "And I really do not understand, dearest, why you still persist in your infatuation for her. You could drop her easily now, on the excuse that you cannot go to Beaminster so often." "Yes, I know I could, mamma," said Margaret, quietly. "But if you do not mind, I would rather not do so. You see, she is really in rather difficult circumstances. Her father has left them badly off, I suppose, and she has not many advanced pupils in Beaminster. We always promised that she should give me lessons; and if we draw back now, we may be doing her real harm; but if I take--say, a dozen lessons, we shall be giving her a recommendation, which, no doubt, will do her a great deal of good. And after that, when she is 'floated,' we can easily drop her if we wish. But it would be hardly kind to do it just now, do you think?" "My darling, you are quite too sweet," said Lady Caroline, languidly. "Come and kiss me. You shall have your way--until Easter, at any rate." "We should be giving Sir Philip no reason to blame us for want of generosity, either," said Margaret. "Exactly, my pet." There was again a silence, which Margaret broke at last by saying, with gentle pensiveness-- "Do you think that she will ask me to be her bridesmaid, mamma, if she marries Sir Philip? I almost fancy that I should decline." "I should think that you would," said Lady Caroline. CHAPTER XVIII. A NEW FRIEND.