"I'm certain you don't," he said, with a laugh. "Erica Danvers. She got herself engaged to a man who used to be at Trinity with me. The misfortune was that he had six brothers older than himself. Well, Erica came to me one day and declared she had hit on a capital plan. Why shouldn't I make Bolsover my steward, pay him a living wage, and all the rest of it. He and Erica have twins," added Jimmy. Bridget walked a few yards along Piccadilly in silence. "You have been extraordinarily unfortunate," she said rather gravely, "although you ought to be pitied rather than blamed." "Not since I met you the other afternoon. Do you see much of old Faversham?" he asked, for the colonel's admiration had been manifest at Grandison Square. "He has always been very kind to me," she faltered. "Surely you meet with kindness everywhere," said Jimmy. "Except from Fate!" answered Bridget, with a sigh. "Wait and see!" he exclaimed. "The better part of life is before you." "Are you by way of telling my fortune?" asked Bridget. "I hope to be allowed to influence it," said Jimmy, as she stopped at the corner of Dover Street. "You will let me come and see you," he urged, taking her hand. "You said your sister was coming!" Bridget reminded him. "Yes," he said. "You must ask her to bring you." CHAPTER XIV THE WOOING O'T Jimmy Clynesworth now began to employ all his arts to induce Sybil to take some notice of Bridget. His eagerness, however, stood in his way. The more forcibly he attempted to convince his sister of his desire, the more obstinately she maintained her ground. Her hand was strengthened by a visit to Charteris Street, where Victor often attracted her, although some glass beads on her jacket made the child regard her as an enemy. After Phoebe had voiced her husband's opinion of Miss Rosser, Lawrence himself came home in time to dot the i's and cross the t's. Sybil left the house with the opinion that poor Jimmy stood in the acutest danger. It seemed evident that she had scarcely exaggerated when she declared, in the first place, that Bridget was not "respectable"! She stiffened herself as it was only possible to do when duty called her, and the consequence was that all of Jimmy's entreaties proved vain. He, however, was not on any account to be deterred. The only circumstance which would have been likely to hinder him was being sedulously hidden. Had he for an instant suspected the existence of any previous engagement he would have been the last man in the world to poach on another's preserve. As things were, he waited a few days, then presented himself with his usual cool audacity at Golfney Place. "Where is Miss Clynesworth?" asked Bridget. "I rather fancy she's spending the day somewhere in the neighbourhood of Deptford," was the answer. "You must have forgotten what I told you," suggested Bridget. "Every word you said is indelibly impressed on my memory," said Jimmy.