"I hope you don't think any one else has seen them?" she said. "I am so afraid of any gossip. You see, I have scarcely realised that Imogen is more than a child--a mere child. I am afraid I am not a very efficient chaperon as yet." "Oh, it's all right. Major Winchester is discretion itself. I only wanted to give you ocular demonstration of his devotion. It is not to be wondered at; she did look irresistible when she glanced up at him just now, did she not? But you know he is usually _so_ unimpressionable and high and mighty. Only be _sure_ you never tell anybody that I made you peep. You promise, don't you, dear Mrs Wentworth? I always feel as if you were a girl like myself, you know. I cannot take in that you are really the mother of a grown-up daughter." Mrs Wentworth beamed. "Of course I will never betray you," she said. "But she is so very young. I do feel so at a loss." "There is nothing to feel at a loss about," said Mabella quickly. It would not have suited her at all for Mrs Wentworth to take others into her confidence. "Imogen is quite charming. You must just make up your mind that every man she comes across will be at her feet; she will have any number to choose from, and she can afford to be _difficile_." "Are you not too partial, dear Miss--?" "You naughty woman," said the girl, playfully laying her fingers on Mrs Wentworth's lips, "what was it you promised? Miss Forsyth indeed!" "Well then, dear Mabella, if you really wish it," said Imogen's mother; "are you not too partial?" "You are so incredulous; other mothers would not be nearly so difficult to convince," said Mab. "That's why I wanted you to see his high mightiness's devotion with your own eyes; not that it's of any consequence in itself. Imogen will do far better than that; it's only to convince you of her fascination." Mrs Wentworth gave a gentle little sigh. "I suppose I must not hope to keep her very long," she said, "hard as it will be to part with her. But if it is for her happiness, that is all I think about. I would not ask or expect any extraordinarily brilliant marriage for her. I should be quite content to give her to some really good man, whom I could trust her to." "Oh yes, of course, of course," said Miss Forsyth, with an undertone of slightly contemptuous incredulity, which Mrs Wentworth was too simple to perceive. "All the same, you must not be _too_ unworldly--too easily pleased, you know. It is not every day one sees a girl like Imogen, _so_ well brought up too." "Dear Mabella, you _are_ too partial," Mrs Wentworth repeated. "It is true that when I take to any one I can see no fault in them," said Miss Forsyth. "I think I may say of myself that I am a very thorough-going friend--_and_," she added to herself, "a very thorough-going enemy." Half an hour or so later Imogen was up-stairs. "Mamma," she said, as she glanced in at her mother, "I'm going out for a few minutes' blow before luncheon. I won't be long."