"He has been practically engaged to her for two years. He didn't know it, of course--he hadn't an idea of it. But Alicia knew it. Oh! she allowed him his amusements. The Mallory girl was one of them. If the Sparling story hadn't broken it off, something else would. I don't believe Alicia ever alarmed herself." "Are they engaged?" "Not formally. I dare say it won't be announced till the autumn," said his companion, indifferently. Then seeing that Bobbie's attention was diverted, she made a dash with one skinny hand at his coat-pocket, abstracted the ball of wool, and triumphantly returned to her knitting. "Mean!" said Bobbie. "You caught me off guard. Well, I wish them joy. Of course, I've always liked Marsham, and I'm very sorry he's got himself into such a mess. But as for Alicia, there's no love lost between us. I hear Miss Mallory's at Beechcote." Lady Niton replied that she had only been three days in the house, that she had asked--ostentatiously--for a carriage the day before to take her to call at Beechcote, and had been refused. Everything, it seemed, was wanted for election purposes. But she understood that Miss Mallory was quite well and not breaking her heart at all. At the present moment she was the most popular person in Brookshire, and would be the most petted, if she would allow it. But she and Mrs. Colwood lived a very quiet life, and were never to be seen at the tea and garden parties in which the neighborhood abounded. "Plucky of her to come back here!" said Bobbie. "And how's Lady Lucy?" Lady Niton moved impatiently. "Lucy would be all right if her son wouldn't join a set of traitors in jockeying the man who put him into Parliament, and has been Lucy's quasi-husband for twenty years!" "Oh, you think he _is_ in the plot?" "Of course, Lucy swears he isn't. But if not--why isn't Ferrier here? His own election was over a week ago. In the natural course of things he would have been staying here since then, and speaking for Oliver. Not a word of it! I'm glad he's shown a little spirit at last! He's put up with it about enough." "And Lady Lucy's fretting?" "She don't like it--particularly when he comes to stay with Sir James Chide and not at Tallyn. Such a thing has never happened before." "Poor old Ferrier!" said Bobbie, with a shrug of the shoulders. Lady Niton drew herself up fiercely. "Don't pity your betters, sir! It's disrespectful." Bobbie smiled. "You know the Ministry's resigned?" "About time! What have they been hanging on for so long?" "Well, it's done at last. I found a wire from the club waiting for me here. The Queen has sent for Broadstone, and the fat's all in the fire."