'When have you seen him before?' 'Only once, but it was my admirable sagacity, you understand? I always see all the villains in books just on his model. Oh, but who's that? How very pretty! You don't mean it is she! Well, she might be the heroine of anything!' 'Isn't she lovely?' 'And has she been keeping school like Patience on a monument all these years? It doesn't seem to have much damaged her damask cheek!' 'It was only daily governessing. She looks much better than when I first saw her; and as to the damask--why, that's deepened by the introduction to old Lady Grosmede that is impending.' 'She is being walked up to the old Spanish duck with the red rag round her leg to receive her fiat. What a thing it is to be a bearded Dowager, and rule one's neighbourhood!' 'I think she approves. She has made room for her by her side. Is she going to catechise her?' Annaple made an absurd sound of mingled pity and disgust. 'Not that she--my aunt, I mean--need be afraid. The shame is all on the other side.' 'And I think Lady Grosmede has too much sense to think the worse of her for having worked for herself,' added Annaple. 'If it was not for mother I should long to begin!' 'You? It's a longing well known to me!--but you!' 'Exactly! As the Irishman felt blue moulded for want of a bating, so do I feel fagged out for want of an honest day's work.' 'If one only knew what to turn to,' said Mark so wearily that Annaple exclaimed, 'We seem to be in the frozen-out state of mind, and might walk up and down singing "I've got no work to do,"'--to which she gave the well known intonation. 'Too true,' said he, joining in the hum. 'But I thought you were by way of reading law.' 'One must see more than only "by way of" in these days to do any good.' At that moment Basil ran up with a message that Lady Delmar was ready to go home. They walked slowly up the terrace and Mark paused as they came near Mrs. Egremont to say, 'Aunt Alice, here is Miss Ruthven, May's great friend.' Annaple met a pleasant smile, and they shook hands, exchanging an observation or two, while a little way off Lady Grosmede was nodding her strong old face at Lady Delmar, and saying, 'Tell your mother I'll soon come and see her, my dear. That's a nice little innocent body, lady-like, and thoroughly presentable. Alwyn Egremont might have done worse.' 'The only wonder is he did not!' returned Lady Delmar. 'They make the best of it here.' 'Very good taste of them. But, now I've seen her, I don't believe there's anything behind. Very hard upon the poor young man, though it was all his doing, his mother says. I congratulate you that it had not gone any farther in that quarter.' 'Oh, dear no! Never dreamt of it. She is May's friend, that's all.' Nevertheless Lady Delmar made a second descent in person to hurry Annaple away. 'Isn't it disgusting?' said May, catching her stepmother's smile.