And once more--involuntarily, disagreeably--he thought of Alicia Drake, and of the passages between them in the preceding summer.
Alicia was still at Tallyn, and her presence was, in truth, a constant embarrassment to him.

Lady Lucy, on the contrary, had a strong sense of family duty toward her young cousin, and liked to have her for long visits at Tallyn or in London.

Marsham believed his mother knew nothing of the old flirtation between them.

Alicia, indeed, rarely showed any special interest in him now.

He admitted her general discretion.