"Oh, I know that very well," said Billy. "Nobody knows it better." Her eyes danced as she shook her head at him demurely. "But I like to see young people settling down happily." "You are rather a queer girl in that way, Doris. Never feel that way?" The Nun considered. "I might go so far as to admit that I've an ideal." "Rather a silly thing to have in this world, isn't it?" "Happiness makes you unsympathetic, Billy. There's no harm in an ideal if you're careful to keep it as an ideal. Of course if you try to make it practical there are awful risks." "And what, or who, is your ideal?" "'Pray what is that to you?'" the Nun quoted, under the circumstances rather maliciously. "I find having an ideal a most comfortable arrangement. It doesn't worry either him or me--and Sally can't possibly object to it. How are things at Meriton? Andy wrote me his great news, and of course I never answered. But isn't it splendid?" "I haven't had time to go down lately." "Oh, of course not--now!" "But I hear he's doing magnificently. Sure to get in. But Gilly's the best fun. When Andy is off electioneering, Gilly works like a horse. Sandwiches in the office for lunch, with a glass of sherry from the pub round the corner! I caught him at it once; he was awfully disgusted." "Gilly lunching on sandwiches and a glass of sherry from the pub!" Her voice was full of wondering amazement. "Yes, he won't hear the last of that in a hurry! When he did come to lunch the other day, we all went early and had a nice little pile of ham sandwiches and a liqueur glass of Marsala ready for him when he came in. You should have seen his face--and not heard his language!" The unnatural brother laughed. "You see, Andy didn't want to stand because of neglecting the business, and Gilly backed himself to take on the work so as not to stand in Andy's way. And he's doing it." "But that's awfully fine of Gilly, I think." "So it is, of course. That's why he gets so riled when anybody says anything about it." The Nun nodded in understanding. "And Harry?" she asked. "They were abroad or in Scotland all the winter; came back to town about a month ago. They've taken a flat in Clarges Street for the season, I believe." "Have you been to call on Mrs. Harry Belfield?" "Well, no, I haven't. I don't know what he wants. I think I'll leave him to begin. It seems to be the same old game with him. One sees him everywhere." "With her?" "Sometimes with her. I don't think he's doing anything about another constituency; seems to have chucked it for the present. But he does appear to be having a very good time in London." "Is he friendly when you meet?" "Yes, he's friendly and jolly enough." Billy smiled. "It's true that he's generally in a hurry. When I met him with her once, he was in too much of a hurry to stop!" "It's very sad, but I'm afraid his memories of us are not those of unmixed pleasure." "I'm afraid not. Andy says he never goes down to Meriton."