“I married,” said Lord Flanborough virtuously, “in accordance with the wishes of my parents.” “Do you mean to say,” said the girl incredulously, “that you had no voice in it? I cannot imagine it. My dear daddy, it is preposterous to suggest that a person of your strong character accepted the wife that somebody else found for him!” “Well, I admit,” said her father somewhat mollified, “that I had a say in the matter but I had the sense to choose the right person.” “That is just what I am doing,” she cried in triumph, “choosing the right person! And, Daddy, if you are rude to Fonso, I shall be very rude to Ralph.” “The man of course is a fortune hunter,” said Lord Flanborough savagely. “He knows that you have money in your own right and that I cannot save you from the consequences of your folly.” “What is Ralph?” she asked tartly. “Sir Ralph is a very rich man,” said her father with emphasis. “What does he get with me?” she asked again. This was the question which Lord Flanborough did not find it convenient to answer. He knew that marriage with his daughter would bring to Sir Ralph a much greater fortune than she possessed in her own right. “Go and ask your disinterested friend if he will take me without a _dot_, and if I were to give my own income to found a hospital for women.” “I am sure Sir Ralph would answer in the affirmative,” replied Lord Flanborough. “Ask him,” she challenged. He passed out of the compartment scowling at the offending Fonso and made his way to Sir Ralph. He had not intended putting the question, but some chance remark of the baronet’s just before the train reached London gave him an opportunity of introducing the subject. “Would you care to marry Moya without the settlement we agreed, Ralph?” “What on earth do you mean?” asked Sir Ralph, astonished out of his sulks. Money was a subject which invariably aroused him from the deepest lethargy. “I mean,” said his future father-in-law, “suppose I say ‘You love Moya and all that sort of thing. You are a very rich man, you can afford to keep her, take her without a settlement,’ what would you answer?” “Certainly not!” said Sir Ralph furiously, “certainly not! I don’t understand this business at all, Flanborough, I really don’t understand it. We made an arrangement and now, it seems, you want to back out of it. What is the objection to the settlement?” “I have no objection at all,” admitted Lord Flanborough uncomfortably, “but Moya thinks that money is a big factor in your choice of her.” “Of course it is,” said Sir Ralph with brutal directness. “I was very fond of Moya, but the settlement was a big consideration.” “I see,” said Lord Flanborough incoherently, “Moya’s idea of course.…”