Mary shot at him a swift and penetrating glance. "I can understand, Mr Farquhar, that you and Mr Moreno are old friends, that you owe many a good turn to one another. But my brother is nothing to you. Why should you put yourself out of the way for him?" Farquhar temporised. "One sometimes gives promises rather rashly, Lady Mary." There was a long pause before the woman spoke. "I think I can understand," she said. "You gave that promise not because you cared for my brother, but because you wanted to help Isobel Clandon." Farquhar did not beat about the bush. "Yes, I wanted to help Isobel. Naturally, I do not love your brother, but she loves him. And her happiness is my first consideration." Mary looked at him with her soft, kindly eyes. "I think of all the lovers I have heard or read of, you are the truest," she said, "and also the kindliest. If our positions had been reversed, I rather doubt if I could have done that." But Farquhar shook his head. "Oh, you are one of God's good women. In any situation you would act a thousand times better than I should." Suddenly the somnolent Earl woke up, in full possession of his faculties. "Well, Farquhar, what do you know about Guy?" He took the matter up from the point where it had been left in abeyance. Farquhar explained patiently that, in his opinion, Guy Rossett was in a position of considerable danger. Naturally, at this point, Lord Saxham went off at a violent tangent. "Then why the devil doesn't Greatorex recall him, as I have begged him to do. Good heavens! I have been supporting this wretched Government through thick and thin. Can't they grant me this little favour? My poor boy! He doesn't want their infernal promotion. He will inherit a big fortune from his great-aunt. He can snap his fingers at Greatorex and the rest of them." Suddenly he began to sob, and buried his head in his hands. "My poor murdered boy," he moaned. "And Greatorex sent him to his death." Farquhar smoked on stolidly. He did not feel greatly attracted towards his host. Lady Mary shot a somewhat contemptuous glance at her penitent parent, who was seeking to throw the blame on Greatorex. "Pay no attention to him," she whispered across the table. "The Foreign Office is not to blame. He got Guy transferred abroad in order to separate him from Isobel. I have told you." Farquhar understood and nodded. He had already come to the conclusion that Lord Saxham was a very poor and weak creature--not a good specimen of his order. How had he become possessed of such a daughter, so gentle, so high-minded? There must have been some virility on the female side of the family.