“What is that, father?” she asked in a whisper. “That you will never marry without my consent, and never listen to a commoner. Will you promise me this? Can you promise this?” “Yes, father, I can,” she answered, steadily looking him full in the eyes, with a countenance as white as marble. “On your honour, Madeline?” “On my honour!” she echoed in a curious, mechanical voice. “Very well, then,” inwardly both relieved and delighted; “that is what I call a model daughter. You shall have a prize. I will get you some diamonds to-morrow that will open people’s eyes; no trumpery little half-set, but a necklet, tiara, and brooches. I saw a _parure_ to-day, old family jewels. Hard up--selling off; one goes up, another comes down, like a see-saw. It’s our turn now! You shall wear stones that will make people blink--diamonds that will be the talk of London. If folks say they are too handsome for an unmarried girl, that is our affair, and a coronet will mend that. You have a head that will carry one well. Your mother’s blue blood shows. You shall pick and choose, too. Lord Anthony may think----” “Lord Anthony Foster and Sir Felix Gibbs,” said a sonorous voice. And what Lord Anthony might think was never divulged to Madeline; Mr. West, with great presence of mind, springing with one supreme mental leap from family matters to social courtesies. The dinner was perfect, served at a round table. The floral decorations were exquisite; attendance, menu, wines were everything that could be desired. The gentlemen talked a good deal--talked of the turf, the prospect of the moors, of the latest failure in the city, and the latest play, and perhaps did not notice how very little the young hostess contributed to the conversation. She was absent in mind, if present in the body; but she smiled, and looked pretty, and that was sufficient. She was beholding with her mental eye a very different _ménage_, far beyond the silver centre-pieces, pines, maiden-hair ferns and orchids, far beyond the powdered footmen, with their dainty dishes and French _entrées_.