Fortunately for Margaret's reputation, it was currently believed that Wyvis Brand's wife was dead. Those who had some notion that she was living thought that he had divorced her. The general impression was that he was at any rate free to marry; and that he was laying siege to the heart of the prettiest girl in the County now seemed an indisputable fact. Perhaps Janetta only, of all the persons assembled together in the room, knew the facts of Wyvis Brand's unhappy marriage. And to Janetta, as well as to other people, it became plain that afternoon that he had completely lost his heart--perhaps his head as well--to Margaret Adair. The chatter of the crowd would have revealed as much to Janetta, even if her own observation had not told her a good deal. "How that man does stare at that girl! Is he engaged to her?" "Young Brand's utterly gone on Miss Adair; that's evident." "Is Lady Caroline not here? Do you think that she _knows_?" "Margaret Adair is certainly very pretty, but I should not like one of _my_ girls to let herself be made so conspicuous!" Such were some of the remarks that fell on Janetta's ear, and made her face burn with shame and indignation. Not that she exactly believed in the reality even of the things that she had seen. That Wyvis should admire Margaret was so natural! That Margaret should accept the offered admiration in her usual serene manner was equally to be expected. But that either of them should be unwise enough to give rise to idle gossip, about so natural a state of mind was what Janetta could not understand. It was not Margaret's fault; she was very sure of that. It must be Wyvis Brand's. He was her cousin, and she might surely--perhaps--ask him what he meant by putting Margaret in such a false position! Oh, but she could not presume to do that. What would he think of her? And yet--and yet--the look with which he had regarded Margaret seemed to be stamped indelibly upon Janetta's faithful, aching heart. CHAPTER XXV. SIR PHILIP'S DECISION. "Philip," said Lady Ashley that evening, with some hesitation in her speech; "Philip--did you--did you notice Mr. Brand--much--to-day?" The guests had all gone; dinner was over; mother and son were sitting in wicker chairs on the terrace, resting after the fatigues of the day. Sir Philip was smoking a very mild cigarette: he was not very fond of tobacco, for, as the Adairs sometimes expressed it, he "had no small vices." Lady Ashley was wrapped in a white shawl, and her delicate, blue-veined hands were crossed upon her lap in unaccustomed idleness. "I did notice him," said her son, quietly. "He seemed to be paying a great deal of attention to Miss Adair." "Oh, Philip, dear, it distressed me so much!" "Why should it distress you, mother?--it is nothing to us." "Well, if you feel in that way about it--still, I am grieved for the Adairs' sake. After all, they are old friends of ours. And I had hoped----"