"Oh no—no—no!" sighed Fulvia; but the very sigh was internal. Outwardly she seemed to be in profound slumber; and soon the seeming became reality. * * * * * * * "Plucky! Yes." The words stole in upon Fulvia with a subtle power; and she divined at once of whom they were spoken. "Never should have guessed anything was wrong." "But Daisy had found it out." "No, he asked her to cut the loaf at tea—didn't want Fulvia to know. Thoughtful of the lad! She was upset enough already, poor thing. I say, Mrs. Duncan—" Mr. Carden-Cox lowered his voice to almost a whisper—"I say, Mrs. Duncan, what do you think? Anything likely in that quarter?" Fulvia heard a little snap of his fingers. The idea that she ought not to listen never occurred to her. She was hardly out of dreamland yet; and body and mind were so stupefied that movement seemed impossible. "Nigel and Fulvia! No!" "Why not?—eh?" with a sound of disappointment. "Why should they?" "Why should they like one another? Nothing more natural. Always together from childhood." "That's the very thing! Intimacy doesn't end as a rule in a real attachment. People get to know each other too well. Half the marriages that take place never would take place if the husband and wife were better acquainted beforehand. A hazy uncertainty is more favourable to love-making." "Nonsense!" "It's sense, I am afraid. Intimacy is apt to do away with the poetical glamour." "Poetical rubbish!" in a whisper of high disdain. "I beg your pardon, but really—! The fact is, his father wants this, and I want it. First time Browning and I have ever wished the same thing. Couldn't be anything more suitable from every point of view." "Unless from Nigel's own. He will choose for himself, you may be sure? If you had said 'Nigel and Ethel!'" "Ethel Elvey! No, no. That won't do. Good girl, and immense favourite of mine, but not a penny will come to her. No—no, that won't do at all." "Nigel will hardly marry for money." "Nobody ever does. He may chance to fall in love with the girl who has money." "I doubt it." "Well, all I have to say is that Nigel will not marry Ethel Elvey!" "Nobody can tell yet." "He will not, my good lady!" Mr. Carden-Cox was always strengthened in his opinion by opposition. "You mark my words! He may or may not marry Fulvia. He will not marry Ethel." Fulvia was wide awake now; stupefied no longer; her head burning, her blood coursing wildly. She knew she ought to speak, but how could she?—How betray that she had heard so much? "However," pursued Mr. Carden-Cox, as if dismissing the subject, "however, I was telling you about Nigel's hurts." "Much burnt, you say?"