"I think we've come to smash. But if it's Sir Richard, he must have known we soon should." Before Amethyst could reply, a message came to say that her ladyship wanted to speak to Miss Haredale. She went up-stairs with a beating heart, and found her mother, to her surprise, up and dressed, with the marks of tears on her face. "Amethyst," she said, "I believe the game is up. Your engagement must be announced to-day, and we must leave town at once. Is Sir Richard coming this morning? Don't let there be another hour's delay." "What has happened?" stammered Amethyst. "Now don't be frightened," said Lady Haredale, "and to be shocked is no use. You know that your father raised money on the Haredale farms, with Charles's consent Sir Richard bought them. Some of it we were to spend in coming to London-- on your account, Amethyst. With the rest he was to pay off a mortgage which, through various changes, had come into the hands of Blanche's husband, Sir Edward Clyste. Well, he didn't do it, but risked the money on a horse at Epsom, and lost it. Now that's not all, it's a very ugly story, and I'm sorry to have to tell you. It seems my lord's affairs at Epsom were mixed up with _the other man's_,--you know." "What other man, mother?" "Why, Captain Vincent--the man Blanche was so imprudent about. He behaved scandalously, and of course we were supposed to cut him. But it's always forgive and forget with my lord, and--if any one would give him any advantage in a racing matter, his character wouldn't count for much. Well, the connection was kept a secret, but it's come out apparently in that set, and Sir Edward--who is on the turf too--when he finds that the money, which really was pledged to him, has been lost in connection with Vincent, isn't likely to have much mercy. Moreover, Vincent, it seems, has done something which steps over the line which racing men think fair and square. Myself, I don't see much difference between what they will do and what they won't, but men feel differently. So he's to be sent to Coventry, and though my lord knew nothing about that, mixing up his money matters with Vincent's, under the circumstances, isn't thought the thing. And things will be made very uncomfortable for us. Now, we must get Sir Richard to advance the money to pay off the mortgage, and no doubt he will, it's only 6,000 pounds, but even that won't set everything straight again." Lady Haredale spoke with a certain hard, practical cynicism which was the skeleton on which her sweet, shallow gaiety was grown, and Amethyst answered in the same tone. "No. Nothing can alter the fact that my father has done a dishonourable thing."