"Oh yes," replied Mrs. Dormer-Smith wearily. "Of course, he asked; I had to go through all that. Under the circumstances he could scarcely do less." The shadow of the eyelashes suddenly drooped down over the bright eyes; and Aunt Pauline saw that her shot had told. "Has it ever occurred to you, May," Mrs. Dormer-Smith went on, "that you are prejudicing the future of this gentleman?" May looked up quickly, but made no answer. "Of course, it cannot be allowed to go on--this _engagement_, as he absurdly terms it." "It is an engagement," interrupted May in a low voice. Her aunt passed over the interruption, and continued. "But I think that in justice to him you ought to reflect that meanwhile you are injuring his prospects. I do not mean," she added with gentle sarcasm, "that you will injure him by preventing him from marrying the Widow Bransby; because I cannot honestly say that I think _that_ a good prospect for any young man." "All those stories are malicious falsehoods," said May resolutely; but her throat was painfully constricted, and her heart felt like lead in her breast. "My dear child, one scarcely sees why people should trouble themselves to _invent_ stories about this lady and gentleman, who, after all, are persons of very small importance. But at any rate the stories are circulated, and believed. Under these circumstances it seems to me a--well, to say the least, an indiscreet proceeding, that Mr. Rivers, the moment he returns to England, should rush to Mrs. Bransby's house, and take up his abode there! However, it may be quite a usual sort of thing among persons in their position. Very likely. I only know that in _our_ world it would not do. We are less Arcadian. When I spoke of injuring Mr. Rivers's prospects, I meant as between him and his employer." "Oh!" cried May, turning round with a pale indignant face. A confused crowd of words seemed to be struggling in her mind; but she was unable, for the moment, to utter one of them. "_Dear_ May," said her aunt, "do not, I beg and implore you, do not be tragic! I don't think I _could_ stand that sort of thing. It would be the last straw." "Do you think--do you mean that Mr. Bragg would turn Owen away, out of spite?" asked May in a quiet tone, after a short silence. "We need not employ such a word as that. But Mr. Bragg made you an offer of marriage, and we can hardly expect him to find it pleasant when he is told 'the young lady refused you in order to marry your clerk.'" "Not 'in order to----' You know I have assured you that under no circumstances would I have married Mr. Bragg."