"Then, willy-nilly, it must be Lord Carteret's daughter, and no other?"

"Everard," his mother said, earnestly, "you know I have set my heart on
seeing Lady Louise your wife; and she loves you, I know. And you, my
darling Everard--you will not disappoint me?"

"I should be an ungrateful wretch if I did! Rest easy, _ma mère_--Lady
Louise shall become Lady Kingsland, or the fault shall not be mine. I
believed I should have asked the momentous little question last night
but for that interloper, George Grosvenor!"

"Ah! jealous, of course. He is always _de trop_, that great, stupid
George," my lady said. "And was the dinner-party agreeable; and what
time did you get home?"

"The dinner-party was delightful, and I came home shortly after
midnight. What time Sir Galahad arrived I can't say--half an hour
before I did, at least."

Lady Kingsland looked inquiringly.

"Did you not ride Sir Galahad?"

"Yes, until I was torn from the saddle! My dear mother, I met with an
adventure last night, and you had like never to see your precious son
again."

"Everard!"