"How can I judge when I haven't heard the evidence? You talk as though I were on the jury. I like Mona, and I'm sure she didn't kill him; but if she did, he deserved it, as he was a nasty old bully." Prelice desisted in despair, and helped himself to fish. Lady Sophia seemed to change her mind every half minute, and never considered facts when she wanted to deliver an opinion. Besides, she preferred fiction, as it was less trouble to invent than to remember. All the same, her sympathies appeared to be with Mona, and Prelice felt pleased that it should be so. Should the girl be acquitted, her position would be extremely difficult, and she would require a staunch friend of her own sex. Why should not that friend be Lady Sophia, whose support could do much to efface the stain of a Criminal Court? But until the case was decided, Prelice did not dare to hint that such an idea had crossed his mind. As the servants were hovering round the table he could not talk confidentially to his aunt, so drifted into general conversation about mutual friends. He thus became posted up in the latest Mayfair gossip, and so was brought up to date in necessary knowledge. And Lady Sophia knew as much about London as Asmodeus did about Madrid, and like that delightful demon, she could unroof houses to some purpose. Luckily for the men and women about whom she talked, the presence of the butler and two footmen prevented entire candour. As the food was excellent and the conversation interesting, not to say necessary--for Prelice as a newly returned traveller required much posting-up in recent scandals--nephew and aunt lingered for a considerable time at table. When the meal was ended Prelice preferred to accompany Lady Sophia to the drawing-room, instead of remaining solitary over Haken's famous port. They had half-an-hour left for coffee, and then Lady Sophia would have to start out on her round of festivals. "You ought to come with me, Prelice," she said later, as he helped her on with her cloak; "everyone thinks that you are dead." "Well, aunt, you would not have much pleasure in taking a corpse about with you. Besides, I promised to look up Ned this evening." "No doubt, and he'll be at that woman's ball. Most indecent, seeing that poor Mona is in gaol." "Ned isn't such a blighter," cried Prelice crossly. "I never called him a blighter, whatever that may mean," retorted Lady Sophia with great dignity. "Mr. Shepworth is an estimable young man, whom you would do well to imitate." "I intend to. He and I are going to save Miss Chent." "How horrid; you'll be a kind of detective." Prelice nodded. "It's something to do." "As if you required anything to do with your rank and money." "But I say, aunt, you advised me this morning----"