“Aunt Constantia and my mother have found a mare’s nest,” said he, with his usual elegance of speech. “They have discovered that the colonel is a most dangerous man, that he comes here not to see me, who can talk about horses and shooting and all the things he likes, but to make love to you and Lilian! Why, he never speaks to either of you if I’m here! He has too much sense to go dangling after any woman. I told my aunt I could look after my wife, and Lilian could look after herself. She is not the girl to throw herself at any man’s head.” “But there is no reason why she should not accept his attentions.” “No reason! What--is his wife no reason?” asked Harry, sharply. “His wife! Is he married?” cried Annie, in a low, frightened voice. “Of course he is. Been married for the last ten years!” CHAPTER VII. The announcement that Colonel Richardson was married entirely changed the aspect in which his attention to Lilian had appeared. Annie understood now that she herself had been used to cover a friendship which the girl’s relatives disapproved of, and the young wife’s heart beat fast with excitement and dread of the scene she had to go through when she next heard Lilian’s footstep outside her sitting-room door. She was doubtful how to open the subject; but her companion soon paved the way by asking if the colonel had brought a book from Mudie’s. “He called; but I had told Lydia to say I was not at home.” Lilian’s face instantly wore its haughtiest expression. “You sent such a message as that to Colonel Richardson?” “Yes.” “Why?” Her beautiful gray eyes were fixed in indignant astonishment on her companion’s face. “I have decided that I cannot receive his visits any longer.” She was trembling. Lilian mistook this for a sign of fear. “Do you not consider my introduction a sufficient assurance that a gentleman is worthy of the honor of your acquaintance?” “Not in this case,” said Annie, looking at her steadily. “Explain what you mean.” “Certainly. I have the strongest reason for believing that you introduced Colonel Richardson to me and led me to think he was unmarried, because your friends, who knew more about him than I, disapproved of the acquaintance for you.” Lilian rose quickly from her seat, and seemed to be attempting to quell the smaller woman by her dignified appearance. “You have insulted me grossly--shamefully! I suppose I have deserved it for condescending so far to you as I have done.” “You forget,” Annie said, simply, without any show of either timidity or arrogance. “Two months ago you might have talked to me of condescension, for I was then only Miss Lane, the governess. Now I am Mrs. Harold Braithwaite, your brother’s wife, your equal, and your superior--for the present--as a married woman.” “My equal--my superior!”