It was taken in the family as an intimation that she would not talk about it, and while she supposed that the children drew no conclusions, they thought the more. Allen was gone to Eton, but Janet and Bobus had many discussions over their chemical experiments, about possibilities and probabilities, odd compounds of cleverness and ignorance. “Mother must be heir-at-law, for her grandmother was eldest,” said Janet. “A woman can’t be heir-at-law,” said Bobus. “The Salique law doesn’t come into England.” “Yes it does, for Sir John Gray got Graysnest only last year, instead of the old man’s daughter. “Then how comes the Queen to be Queen?” “Besides,”--Bobus shifted his ground to another possibility--“when there’s nobody but a lot of women, the thing goes into abeyance among them.” “Who gets it, then?” “Chancery, I suppose, or some of the lawyers. They are all blood-suckers.” “I’m sure,” said Janet, superior by three years of wisdom, “that abeyance only happens about Scotch peerages; and if he has not made a will, mother will be heiress.” “Only halves with that black Undine of Allen’s,” sturdily persisted Bobus. “Is she coming here, Janet?” “Yes, to-morrow. I did not think we wanted another child about the house; Essie and Ellie are quite enough.” “If mother gets rich she won’t have all that teaching to bother her,” said Bobus. “And I can go on with my education,” said Janet. “Girl’s education does not signify,” said Bobus. “Now I shall be able to get the very best instruction in physical science, and make some great discovery. If I could only go and study at Halle, instead of going on droning here.” “Oh! boys can always get educated if they choose. You are going to Eton or Winchester after this term.” “Not if I can get any sense into mother. I don’t want to waste my time on those stupid classics and athletics. I say, Janet, it’s time to see whether the precipitation has taken place.” The two used to try experiments together, in Bobus’s end of the attic, to an extent that might make the presence of a strange child in the house dangerous to herself as well as to everyone else. Mrs. Gould herself brought the little girl, trying to impress on Mrs. Brownlow that if she was indocile it was not her fault, but her grandfather could not bear to have her crossed. The elders did not wonder at his weakness, for the creature was wonderfully lovely and winning, with a fearless imperiousness that subdued everyone to her service. So brilliant was she, that Essie and Ellie, though very pretty little girls, looked faded and effaced beside this small empress, whose air seemed to give her a right to bestow her favours. “I am glad to be here!” she observed, graciously, to her hostess, “for you are my cousin and a lady.” “And pray what are you?” asked Janet.