He had come to her, as it were, under false pretenses. Relying on his peculiar position, she had allowed herself, without scruple, a freedom and expansion in her relations toward him that she would have condemned, though perhaps not abstained from, had he stood exactly where other men stood; and she felt that, if charged with encouraging him and fostering a delusion in his mind, her defense, though in reality a good one, was not one which the world would accept as justifying her. She could not openly plead that she had flirted with him, because she had never thought he would flirt with her; or allowed him to believe she entertained a deeper regard for him than she did because he could be supposed to feel none for her. Yet that was the truth; and perhaps it was a good defense. And Claudia was resentful because she could not defend herself by using it, and her resentment settled upon the ultimate cause of her perplexities. When Eugene got back to Territon Park he was received by the brothers with unaffected interest. They were passing the morning in an exhaustive medical inspection of the dogs, but they left even this engrossing occupation, and sauntered out to meet him. "Well, what luck?" asked Rickmansworth. "The debate is adjourned," answered Eugene. "Did Clau make herself agreeable?" "Well, no; in fact she made herself as disagreeable as she knew how." "Raised Cain, did she?" inquired Bob sympathetically. "Something of the sort; but I think it's all right." "You play up, old man," said Bob. "Well, but what the devil are we to do with this parson?" Lord Rickmansworth demanded. "He'll be here after lunch, you know. You are an ass, Eugene, to bring him down!" "I'm not quite sure, you know, that he won't persuade her." "Why didn't you settle it this morning?" "My dear fellow, she was impossible this morning." "Oh, bosh!" said his lordship. "Now I'll tell you what you ought to have done--" "Oh, shut up, Rick! What do you know about it? Stafford must try his luck, if he likes. Don't you fellows bother about him. I'll see him when he comes down." "Would it be infernally uncivil if we happened to be out in the tandem!" suggested Rickmansworth. "I expect he'd be rather glad." "Then we will be out in the tandem. If you kill him, or the other way, just do it outside, will you, so as not to make a mess? Now we'll lunch, and then Bob, my boy, we'll evaporate." It was about three o'clock when Stafford arrived. He had managed to catch the 1:30 from London, and must have started the moment he had read his letter. He was shown into the billiard-room, where Eugene was restlessly smoking a cigar. He came swiftly up, and held out his hand, saying: "This is like you, my dear old fellow. Not another man in England would have done it." "Nonsense!" replied Eugene. "I ought to have done more." "More? How?" "I ought to have waited till you came before I went to see her." "No, no; that would have been too much."