"Yes," said she. "But I've never met his successor. The two were not, I believe, on speaking terms. Of course,"--and her forthright British candour carried her trippingly over the delicate ground,--"it's common knowledge that the family is divided against itself--hostile branches--a Protestant branch and a Catholic. The present lord, if I've got it right, is a Catholic, and the late lord's distant cousin?" "You've got it quite right," the young man assured her, with a nod, and a little laugh. "They had the same great-great-grandfather. The last few lords have been Protestants, but in our branch the family have never forsaken the old religion." "I know," said she. "And wasn't it--I've heard the story, but I'm a bit hazy about it--wasn't it owing to your--is 'recusancy' the word?--that you lost the title? Wasn't there some sort of sharp practice at your expense in the last century?" The young man had another little laugh. "Oh, nothing," he answered, "that wasn't very much the fashion. The late lord's great-grandfather denounced his elder brother as a Papist and a Jacobite--nothing more than that. It was after the 'Forty-five. So the cadet took the title and estates. But with the death of the late lord, a dozen years or so ago, the younger line became extinct, and the title reverted." "I see," said my lady. She knitted her eyebrows, computing. After an instant, "General Blanchemain," she resumed, "as the present lord was called for the best part of his life, is a bachelor. You will be one of his nephews?" She raised her eyes inquiringly. "The son of his brother Philip," said the young man. Lady Blanchemain sat up straight again. "But then," she cried, forgetting to conceal her perturbation, "then you're the heir. Philip Blanchemain had but one son, and was the General's immediate junior. You're John Blanchemain--John Francis Joseph Mary. You're the heir." The young man smiled--at her eagerness, perhaps. "The heir-presumptive--I suppose I am," he said. Lady Blanchemain leaned back and gently tittered. "See how I know my Peerage!" she exclaimed. Then, looking grave, "You're heir to an uncommonly good old title," she informed him. "I hope it may be many a long day before I'm anything else," said he. "Your uncle is an old man," she suggestively threw out. "Oh, not so very old," he submitted. "Only seventy, or thereabouts, and younger in many respects than I am. I hope he'll live for ever." "Hum!" said she, and appeared to fall a-musing. Absently, as it seemed, and slowly, she was pulling off her gloves. "Feuds in families," she said, in a minute, "are bad things. Why don't you make it up?" The young man waved his hand, a pantomimic _non-possumus_. "There's no one left to make it up with--the others are all dead." "Oh?" she wondered, her eyebrows elevated, whilst automatically her fingers continued to operate upon her gloves. "I thought the last lord left a widow. I seem to have heard of a _Lady_ Blanchemain somewhere."