“He's playing chess with Lady Kilgoff in the boudoir,” said Jennings. “Tell Kennyfeck,” said Frobisher; “that's quite enough! Cashel calls everything where money enters, business, and hates it, in consequence.” “Oh, dear! I'm precisely of his mind, then,” sighed Meek, caressing his whiskers. “Kilgoff will not remain, you 'll see,” said Upton. “He is not pleased with my Lady's taste for close intimacy.” “The Kennyfecks are going to-morrow or next day,” said another. “So they have been every day this last week; but if some of you gentlemen will only be gallant enough to give a good reason for remaining, they 'll not stir.” This was spoken by Lady Janet in her tartest of voices, and with a steady stare at Upton, who stroked his moustaches in very palpable confusion. “Yes, Sir Harvey,” continued she, “I 'm perfectly serious, and Mr. Linton, I perceive, agrees with me.” “As he always does, Lady Janet, when he desires to be in the right,” said Linton, bowing. “Aw--I, aw--I did n't think it was so easy in that quarter, aw!” said Jennings, in a low semi-confidential tone. “I 'll insure you for a fair premium, Jennings, if you have any fancy that way.” “Aw, I don't know,--concern looks hazardous,--ha, ha, ha!--don't you think so?” But as nobody joined in his laughter, he resumed, in a lower voice, “There, Upton 's very spooney indeed about one of them.” “It's the aunt,” said Linton,--“a very fine woman, too; what the French call _beauté sévère_; but classical, quite classical.” “Confounded old harridan!” muttered Upton, between his teeth; “I 'd not take her with Rothschild's bank at her disposal.” All this little chit-chat was a thing got up by Linton, while stationing himself in a position to watch Cashel and Lady Kilgoff, who sat, at a chess-table, in an adjoining room. It needed not Linton's eagle glance to perceive that neither was attentive to the game, but that they were engaged in deep and earnest conversation. Lady Kilgoff's back was towards him, but Roland's face he could see clearly, and watch the signs of anger and impatience it displayed. “A little more noise and confusion here,” thought Linton, “and they 'll forget that they 're not a hundred miles away;” and, acting on this, he set about arranging the company in various groups; and while he disposed a circle of very fast-talking old ladies, to discuss rank and privileges in one corner, he employed some others in devising a character quadrille, over which Mrs. White was to preside; and then, seating a young lady at the piano,--one of those determined performers who run a steeple-chase through waltz, polka, and mazurka, for hours uninterruptedly,--he saw that he had manufactured a very pretty chaos “off-hand.”