"Now, isn't he a wonderful chap?" asked Woodville. "And the best fellow in the world. I always liked him. How gifted he is! He describes people in detail, and by the yard, without giving one the very slightest idea of their appearance. He has a real genius for platitudes." "And what an original description! Peach cheeks and sapphire eyes! Fruit and jewellery! But I daresay she's a dear, and I forgive him now. And Frank, _do_ you realise what this means--to us?" "I've been realising it since the first post this morning, Sylvia." "You'll accept it?" "Naturally. Everything is right, as you said it would be. We'll tell Sir James to-day." "Look here, darling Frank, let me ring up a messenger to send a wire at _once_ to accept, so that nothing can come between us!" "Not just yet," said Woodville. * * * * * Savile's only comment when they told him was, "Just like that rotter to prefer another alien!" and he immediately wrote brief notes to Chetwode and Jasmyn Vere. Sir James heard the news with real surprise and conventional indignation, principally because it was his practice to receive news in that way. He refused his consent, sent Sylvia to her room, and turning round on Savile declared that the whole thing was caused by the disgraceful idleness of that boy, who ought to be at school. Such long holidays were not heard of in his younger days, and did the greatest harm mentally and physically to the boys and all their relatives. The arrival of Aunt William diverted the storm. Sir James became far more angry with her for defending the young people than with them for requiring defence. When she had left, he said that perhaps he would take it into consideration in a couple of years, if Woodville left the house at once, and they neither met nor corresponded in the interval. At dinner he began to chaff them a little, and said Sylvia always got her own way with him. After dinner, when he was smoking in the library, the desire to say "Take her, you dog, and be happy," or words to that effect, was too strong for him. He sent for Woodville, consented enthusiastically, and from that moment began to believe that with farseeing thoughtfulness he had planned her marriage from the very beginning. And he began to look forward to the list of political and other celebrities that would appear in the papers the day after the wedding. Of course it was to be a long engagement and a quiet wedding; but entirely through the eager impetuosity of Sir James, they were married in six weeks, and every one said that in general splendour and gorgeousness it surpassed even the wedding of Sir James's elder daughter. Savile's attitude as best man was of such extraordinary correctness that it was the feature of the ceremony, and even distracted public attention from the bride and bridegroom. THE END * * * * * Transcriber's note