‘As quiet as the grave. And only on the chance!’ Ralph added.

‘The chance she may?’

‘The chance she may not?’

Lord Warburton took this at first in silence, but he spoke again. ‘Is he awfully clever?’

‘Awfully,’ said Ralph.

His companion thought. ‘And what else?’

‘What more do you want?’ Ralph groaned.

‘Do you mean what more does she?’

Ralph took him by the arm to turn him: they had to rejoin the others. ‘She wants nothing that we can give her.’

‘Ah well, if she won’t have You—!’ said his lordship handsomely as they went.

End of Volume I