A young man well off as he is, and she without a shilling! All that comes from Ushanting." It never occurred to Mrs.Masters that perhaps the very qualities that had made poor Larry so vehemently in love with Mary had come from her intercourse with Lady Ushant.

"If I'm to have my way she won't go a yard on the way to Cheltenham." "I've told her she may go," said Mr.Masters, whose mind was wandering back to old days,--to his first wife, and to the time when he used to be an occasional guest in the big parlour at Bragton.

He was always ready to acknowledge to himself that his present wife was a good and helpful companion to him and a careful mother to his children; but there were moments in which he would remember with soft regret a different phase of his life.

Just at present he was somewhat angry, and resolving in his own mind that in this case he would have his own way.
"Then I shall tell her she mayn't," said Mrs.Masters, with a look of dogged determination.
"I hope you will do nothing of the kind, my dear.

I've told her that she shall have a few pounds to get what she wants, and I won't have her disappointed." After that Mrs.Masters bounced out of the room, and made herself very disagreeable indeed over the tea-things.
The whole household was much disturbed that day.