‘The question for me is,’ said Lord Will, after a pause: for to tell the truth, being a young man with a clear view of his own interests, but no wickedness in him, nor desire to harm his neighbours--at least no more than was essential to benefit himself--he was a little frightened by the gleam of devilry in Mrs. Swinford’s eyes; and he was well enough aware--as people in society are aware of everything of the kind--that there was something about Mrs. Swinford herself which had kept her out of England for so long. ‘The question for me is simply about the marriage. If there is scandal there is no use in raking up old scandals; besides, whatever happened before, if she is his wife and the girl his child, nothing else matters to us. I am sure it would be all very interesting--but you see----’ ‘I am not going to rake up old scandals,’ Mrs. Swinford said, ‘but as it all happened within my knowledge---- She was here--a pretty little country girl, nothing more. She has immensely improved--quite, quite a different creature. A girl I had taken a fancy to. I am not sure that she did not teach Leo a little. That was her standing, the daughter of the parish clergyman.’ ‘That I am sure she did not,’ said Leo from behind; ‘you forget that I had a governess, mother.’ ‘Oh, you are there still, old Truepenny! You seem practising for the ghost in _Hamlet_, Leo. No, decidedly I cannot go on while he is there. It shall be for another time. To-morrow you will come to me in my boudoir before you go away.’ Lord Will looked round to his friend with an appealing air. Then going up to him, ‘Swinford,’ he said, ‘like a good fellow, let me hear it all now. I must know it.’ ‘In order, if you can, to keep what is theirs from two helpless women?’ ‘I want to keep nothing that is theirs from any one,’ said the young man, with an angry flush. ‘And yet it appears this is what you came here for. But forewarned is forearmed. Yes, you shall hear it all now; I will not interfere.’ ‘Is he gone?’ said Mrs. Swinford, ‘really gone? Leo is the most scrupulous and delicate of men. He hates your talk of the clubs, gossip and scandal, as he calls it. If I had brought him up in England would it have been so? Shut the door, and draw the curtain, Lord Will. I have the temperature kept up as well as I can, but there are always cold winds about.’ She shivered a little and drew round her a film of a white shawl that had been hanging over her chair. ‘Now come back and put yourself there. Now I may speak my mind.’