“Do you know,” Lady Conyers said, a moment later, “I almost hope that it is all.” “And why, mother?” “Because I consider Hugh is a great judge of character. Because we have known Hugh since he was a boy, and we have known Captain Granet for about a week.” Geraldine rose to her feet. “You don’t like Captain Granet, mother.” “I do not dislike him,” Lady Conyers replied thoughtfully. “I do not see how any one could.” “Hugh does. He hinted things about him--that he wasn’t honest--and then forbade me to tell him. I think Hugh was mean.” Lady Conyers glanced at the clock. “You had better go and get ready, dear, if you have promised to be at Ranelagh at half-past ten,” she said. “Will you just remember this?” “I’ll remember anything you say, mother,” Geraldine promised. “You’re just a little impulsive, dear, at times, although you seem so thoughtful,” Lady Conyers continued. “Don’t rush at any conclusion about these two men. Sometimes I have fancied that there is a great well of feeling behind Hugh’s silence. And more than that--that there is something in his life of which just now he cannot speak, which is keeping him living in great places. His abstractions are not ordinary ones, you know. It’s just an idea of mine, but the other day--well, something happened which I thought rather queer. I saw a closed car turn into St. James’s Park and, evidently according to orders, the chauffeur drove very slowly. There were two men inside, talking very earnestly. One of them was Hugh; the other was--well, the most important man at the War Office, who seldom, as you know, speaks to any one.” “You mean to say that he was alone, talking confidentially with Hugh?” Geraldine exclaimed incredulously. “He was, dear,” her mother assented, “and it made me think. That’s all. I have a fancy that some day when the time comes that Hugh is free to talk, he will be able to interest you--well, quite as much as Captain Granet.... Now then, dear, hurry. There’s the car at the door for you and you haven’t your hat on.” Geraldine went upstairs a little thoughtfully. As she drew on her gloves, she looked down at the empty space upon her third finger. For a moment there was almost a lump in her throat. CHAPTER XVI The two men who had walked up together arm in arm from Downing Street, stood for several moments in Pall Mall before separating. The pressman who was passing yearned for the sunlight in his camera. One of the greatest financiers of the city in close confabulation with Mr. Gordon Jones, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, was an interesting, almost an historical sight. “It is a source of the greatest satisfaction to me, Sir Alfred,” the Minister was saying earnestly, “to find such royal and whole-hearted support in the city. I am afraid,” he went on, with a little twinkle in his eyes, “that there are times when I have scarcely been popular in financial circles.” “We have hated you like poison,” the other assured him, with emphasis.