does. When is he leaving?” [107] “I do not know. Father enjoys his company, and so does Arthur. I have not heard anything about his going yet.” “Perhaps you enjoy his company too?” suggested Conrad, with a touch of insolence in his manner. A faint flush rose in Monica’s pale face. Her look expressed a good deal of cool scorn. “Perhaps I do,” she answered. Conrad saw at once that he had made a blunder. Face and voice alike changed, and he said in his gentle, deprecating way: [108] [108] “Forgive me, Monica. I had no right to speak as I did. It was rude and unjustifiable. Only if you knew as much as I do about that fellow, you would not wonder that I hate to see him hanging round you as he is doing now, waiting, as it were, to step into the place that is his by legal, but by no moral right. It would be hard to see anyone acting such a part. It is ten times harder when you know your man.” Monica looked straight at Conrad. “What do you know against Mr. Trevlyn? My father is acquainted with all his past history, and can learn nothing to his discredit. What story have you got hold of? I would rather hear facts than hints.” Conrad laughed uneasily. [109] [109] “I know that he is a cad, and a sneak, and a spy; but I have no wish to upset your father’s confidence in him. We were at Oxford together, and of course it was not pleasant to me to hear his boasting of his future lordship at Trevlyn. That was the first thing that made me dislike him. Later on I had fresh cause.” Had Monica been more conversant with the family history, she would have known that this boasting could never have taken place, as Randolph had been far enough from the peerage at that time. As it was, she looked grave and a little severe as she asked:
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