H. B. Marriott Watson

“ Glen-Warrington coldly.
"You think I've behaved badly?" I asked. Garland had fallen back to Sylvia and Bates.
"I have my own opinion, but I do not know that it is necessary to publish it," she replied demurely.
"I do not see that there's anything specially wrong in it," I observed meditatively. "I gave Lady Orvill fair warning through you that it was to be war."
"The war of a man of the world against an innocent girl," she retorted shortly.
"Pardon me, no," I answered; "but the war of one poor man against two strong women." She smiled. ”

“ That fool Bates met me in the park, full of chatter and sympathy.
"Didn't manage to see her, I suppose, Sydney? Well, I'm sorry for you, my dear chap. I'm afraid it's no go. Lady Orvill's a woman with a will."
"A man may have a will too," said I sulkily.
"No doubt, no doubt," agreed Bates, and rambled on. I gathered that he considered my case the more desperate as Sir James Garland had arrived at the Hall. "She's going to fire both barrels," said old Bates, gleefully. "One at Garland, with his £30,000 a year, and t'other at Mrs. Glen-Warrington." ”

“ She looked down at the hand which held hers. "Is this Sylvia's discards?" she asked softly.
"Yes," I said boldly.
Mrs. Glen-Warrington laughed low. "Why did you do it?" she asked. "How vain men are!"
"No," I reflected. "I think it was only obstinacy."
"I knew it wasn't——" But here Mrs. Glen-Warrington stopped abruptly and blushed. The sound of voices from the other room came in to us. "We must go back now," said she, and her hand was no longer captive. ”

“ Glen-Warrington but Sir James Garland visited me at the Grange that same week. He came after dinner, drank a good many liqueurs of my special brandy, and smoked three strong cigars from his own case. He talked at intervals, very heavily and in mighty earnest, and it was hours before I discovered what he wanted. He had come, if you please, to talk about Woman! Although it is permissible to speak of women in the way of gossip, no one over thirty should talk about Woman; everything has been said before that age, and the problem either solved or given up. ”

“ I wondered, as a matter of fact, what bearing this had on Sylvia, and eyed him carefully with a view to evading an indecent conflict of words. But it was not of Sylvia that he was thinking, as I discovered, for he began to ask me some questions about Mrs. Glen-Warrington.
I'm told she has twenty thousand a year. I know nothing," I said; "but every one gossips about his neighbour or his stranger. I never set eyes on the lady before."
"No," said Garland, scanning me heavily; and he lit a third cigar, and chuckled, "We all know where you're gone." ”

“ Glen-Warrington, and the former drew in. I saluted and looked at the lady, who attentively stroked her horse.
"I say, Dick, I've been telling Mrs. Glen-Warrington about that oak room of yours and the carvings. She'd like to see it."
I said I should be charmed, and she glanced at me for the first time. "If we are enemies, we can patch up a truce for an afternoon, Mr. Sydney," she said, with a little laugh.
"Certainly," I answered politely. "Will you bring Sylvia?"
Orvill threw back his head and laughed loudly. "You're a caution, Dick!" he said: "you have the cheek." ”

“ You can imagine how I feel, and how lonely I am! The Hall is a desert!! She's quieter now, thank goodness; but I suppose that's her liver, which is very bad. I asked Orvill to help me, of course, but he says he can't be bothered, and you must look after yourself.—Always your Sylvia."
"P.S. Mamma called the Grange a 'beggarly little mousetrap,' and said you had no doubt baited it well, with 'sentimental nonsense and romantic humbug.' It is cruel of her! "
The letter decided me, and I started forth from the Grange, resolute to challenge the Countess. ”

“ After all, who were the Trents, with their peerage scarce a century in date, and their origin unknown earlier than the seventeenth century, to set themselves up against Sydneys who have been Squires since the reign of the first Edward? ”