"Careless!" interrupted Susannah Chressham. "There has been fine carelessness here----" "Damned carelessness," answered the Earl with a short laugh. "And when Brereton died and I took over my own affairs--I'm afraid I didn't improve on it. But Marius has not been stinted." "No, and now you are going to tell him he is a pauper," said Susannah. "Now, when he is full of plans, of hopes--oh, Rose, Rose!" A little silence fell; very strong was the perfume of the violets, very delicate too, insistent. Susannah spoke again. "The lawyers must have warned you." "I left their warnings behind me two years ago, when I first went to the Jews, my dear." "Then--you are--in debt?" She felt that he smiled. "A good deal in debt." "And my lady?" "My lady has some money of her own, not much--the estate must go." "Oh, Rose!" she gave a little gasp; "is there no way out--nothing to be done?" The Earl appeared amused. "Nothing, my dear. I have, naturally, tried--now we will go to the house." She did not move. "There must be something we can do?" The misery of her voice touched him. "It is good of you to care so, cousin--I might have expected reproaches." "Since I am in no way involved," she quoted his sentence--"is that what you want to say, Rose?--but my whole life is involved," she added almost dreamily. "Lyndwood to go--you ruined, you and I to tell Marius and my lady so to-night?" She looked over the quiet park and saw the peaceful lights in Lyndwood House, and she could not believe her own words. "Ruin!" she repeated. The Earl came towards her. "Are you thinking of Marius?" "No," said Susannah, "of you." "I am the least to be considered," he answered. "The most!" she cried. "Could you help what was in your blood?--I knew this must happen, though now I hardly credit it--I knew this must happen." Rose Lyndwood sighed lightly. "Let us go on to the house." But she stood in the doorway. "Tell me what you mean to do?" "I do not know--it will be according to how they take it--my lady and Marius." He fingered the ends of his long tie. "For myself," he lifted his shoulders, "I could get the appointment at Venice, easily, and the place in Ireland would pay some of them; I do not know what Marius will expect." "Poor Marius!" she echoed softly. "Remember he is only a boy, Rose." She stepped into the open now; he following. "A Lyndwood, too--there is the army, or I would give him the estate in Genoa." "He says it is worth nothing," cried Miss Chressham, trembling--"and in Italy!" Lord Lyndwood had no reply to that; he wrapped his cloak about him, and his cousin preceded him down the steps. For a little while they went along the avenue in silence, she holding up her dress, he swinging his gloves. "Will you tell them to-night?" she asked. "I must get back to London as soon as may be;" he glanced up at the great chestnut leaves that hid the stars--"to-night? Gad, I suppose so." After a moment he added: