She was glad that on this particular day, inspired by filial reverence, she had substituted the relic of her father for the locket which contained the photo of Bevil Goring, whose face she would have shrunk from subjecting to the off-hand criticism of the young lady who had just left her; and she was not without a stronger fear that the military lover of Miss De Jobbyns--if lover he was--was the _roué_ Dehorsey, who now haunted Kensington Gardens and Pembridge Square, though 'Captain Smith' seemed scarcely the kind of man to be captivated by the soap-boiler's daughter. CHAPTER XVIII. MISS DE JOBBYNS' ADMIRER. 'You will be good enough to keep the children quiet and amused this evening, Miss Cheyne,' said Mrs. De Jobbyns, 'as we have company coming to dinner. Also have them nicely dressed, as they may be sent for to dessert or to the drawing-room.' Being now used to be spoken to in this style, Alison merely bowed, on which Mrs. De Jobbyns said, sharply, 'You heard me, I presume?' 'Yes; you certainly spoke loud enough.' Mrs. De Jobbyns frowned. She would have liked her to add 'ma'am,' like any other paid dependant; but Alison, of course, never thought of such a thing. 'You may withdraw now, Miss Cheyne,' said the lady, with an assumption of would-be dignity that sat rather absurdly on the whilome dispenser of glasses of gin and bitters and pints of stout at the bar of the 'Black Swan.' 'Oh, Miss Cheyne, I wonder when the wedding is to be!' exclaimed little Irene when Alison returned to the school-room. 'Whose wedding, dear?' she asked. 'Why, Vic.'s--don't you know she is going to be married to that rich military swell?' 'Oh, fie, Irene--you must not use such terms!' 'Why not? I heard cook call him so when she told the tablemaid, and said we two girls would be bridesmaids.' Intent on a book she had procured--by the way, save photographic albums in which the De Jobbyns family were reproduced endlessly, there were no books in the house--Alison thought no more of the matter; but when evening was drawing on she heard the soft rustle of a long silken skirt, as Miss De Jobbyns, arrayed for conquest, swept in, wearing a really beautiful costume of dark blue velvet and light blue silk, smothered with cream-tinted lace. 'He is coming--he is coming to dinner--mamma got him to promise that he would, at last!' exclaimed the young lady, pirouetting about in the extravagance of her joy. 'Tell me how you like my dress?' 'It is indeed exquisite--in material,' replied Alison, who of course had dined in the school-room with her pupils at one o'clock, and felt little or no interest to learn that Miss Victoria's lover, or admirer, was coming to a little dinner _en famille_ at seven p.m. 'He will soon be here--how do you think I look?' she asked for the third or fourth time.