To this hour I believe
it was all that woman's doing, and that poor Maude has supped sorrow.
She has lost all her good looks.'
'And Regie has never got over it?'
'Not so as to believe in a woman again.'
'He used to be rather a joke for susceptibility, and was still a
regular boy when we went out to Gibraltar. I thought him much graver.'
'Exactly; since that affair his soul has gone into his regiment. It's
a wife to him, and luckily he got his promotion in time, so as not to
be shelved.'
'I suppose it was really an escape.'
'I don't know--she would have done very well in his hands. She is the
sort of woman to be as you make her, and even now is a world too good
for Clan. Victoria can never be quite cordial with her, but I can't
see the poor harassed thing without thinking what a sweet creature she
once was, and wishing I'd had the sense to look after her better. But
what I came here for, Lily, was to say you must let me have that Mysie
of yours, since you won't come yourself to this concern of ours. I'm
afraid you won't think much good has come of us, but we couldn't do the
Country Mouse much harm in a fortnight; and you know it is the wish of
my heart that my lonely Fly should grow up on such terms with your
flock as Florence and I did with you all.'
He pleaded quite piteously, and he was backed up by a letter from his
wife, very grateful for her little Phyllis's happy visit, reiterating
the invitation to Lady Merrifield, and begging that if she still could
not come herself, she would at least send Jasper and Mysie for the
Butterfly's Ball.
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