Yet he was still hanging fire when Jean entered. It had been tacitly understood that her presence was not required at the council of war, and the marked silence which followed her entry might reasonably have warned her that matters were being discussed too complicated for young unmarried girls. Yet she closed the door behind her and came forward with a quietly resolute air. "I've only just heard you were here," she said. "You are talking about father, I suppose." "We are," replied Mrs. Ramornie briefly. Jean sat down. "What have you decided?" she asked. "We have decided he should go abroad with Andrew for a little change." "Why?" "Do you need to ask why, Jean? Surely you don't want him to go on making a fool of himself in London?" "I don't see why he shouldn't go to a dance occasionally if he wants to." "Go to a dance!" exclaimed Mrs. Donaldson. "My dear Jean! do you suppose this was an ordinary--" "Hush, Gertrude," said their brother austerely. "Anyhow," said Mrs. Ramornie, "it is quite settled that he must leave London at all costs, and that it is inadvisable he should return to Edinburgh at present." "But Aunt Mary was only saying to-day that he has to preside at a dinner to-morrow night." "Oh, he'll forget all about that," said Gertrude, "and, of course, we don't mean to remind him." "Why not?" "Because he is not to be trusted at present," said Andrew. A quick flush irradiated Jean's clear face. "He _is_ to be trusted. He is to be trusted far more than ever before in his life!" The three counselors exchanged glances. "We know better than you do," said Mrs. Ramornie severely. But Jean was not easily to be quelled. "I think it will be a perfect shame if you allow father to forget his engagement," she protested. Her eldest sister's face grew more like Andrew's than ever. "He must _not_ come home at present, and we trust that Andrew will do his duty and not permit him to stay in London." "Andrew!" exclaimed Jean. "How can he prevent him?" Their brother hung back no longer. "I shall go up to London to-morrow morning," he announced. "Splendid!" cried Gertrude. He looked at her coldly. "I do not propose to do anything ridiculous. If I can get him to go to some place in the south of England and stop for a month or two, that will be quite sufficient; and I do not propose, either, to wear any other clothes than what I've got at present." Having thus asserted his independence of conduct and apparel, he turned again to Jean. "That is what we have decided," he said. She jumped up, her lip quivering a little. Then she controlled herself, and as she left the room only said quietly-- "Thank you for telling me." The council was then able to conclude its deliberations without further interruption. CHAPTER VIII After dinner that night, Andrew found Mrs. Dunbar alone in the drawing-room, and immediately turned to withdraw. "Are you not going to have coffee, Andrew?" she asked.