Then she blew her nose, and, over the top of her hand-kerchief, looked full at Iglesias for the first time. "Well, what is it? What do you want my sanction for?" Without waiting for his answer she swept aside, knelt down, crouching over the fire, extending both hands to the heat of it, while her open sleeves falling back showed her arms bare to the elbow. "Tell me, and, if you don't mind, shove along. I own I am a trifle jumpy--only the weather--but I need humouring, so shove along, there's a good dear," she said. Whereupon, in as few words as possible, Dominic unfolded to her the contents of Sir Abel Barking's letter. As she listened, Poppy raised herself, turned round, stood upright, her hands clasped behind her. "Oh! that's it, is it?" she said. She looked less bloodless, more animated, more natural. "I'm not altogether surprised. The poor old lads have found out the cuckoo in their nest at last, have they? Alaric had a notion Reginald Barking--not a nice person Reginald--I saw him once and he looked a cross between a pair of forceps and a bag of shavings--I didn't trust him--you don't, do you? Alaric had a notion this precious cousin was making hay of the whole show. But it was utterly useless for him to intervene. In the eyes of the elder generation he is the original dog with a bad name, only fit for hanging." Poppy paused, took a long breath, smiled a little. "What do you think? Is it a very bad business?" "I cannot tell till I have gone into details," Iglesias replied. He was slightly put about by the lady's change of demeanour, by the interest she displayed, by the alteration in her expression and bearing. "And they howl to you to save the sinking ship?" Poppy continued lightly. "Shall you go?" "That is the question I have come to ask you." "To ask me?" she said. "But, heart alive, dear man, where do I come in?" "My duty to you stands before every other duty," Iglesias answered gravely. "Those who have caused you sorrow and injured you, are my enemies. How can it be otherwise? A member of this family--I do not choose to name him--has, in my opinion, played a detestable part by you; therefore only with your sanction, freely given, can I consent to be helpful to his relatives." The colour leaped into Poppy's cheeks, the light into her eyes, her lips parted in pretty laughter; yet she still kept her hands clasped behind her back. "Ah! I see--I see," she cried. "But how did you contrive to get left behind, most beloved lunatic, and be born five or six centuries out of your time into this shouting, pushing, modern world which knows not chivalry? Do you imagine this is the fashion most men treat women? Here I am laughing, yet I could cry that you should come to me--me, of all people--on such a lovely, fine, fanciful errand." "My conduct appears to me perfectly obvious and simple," Iglesias replied rather coldly.