Britain, he could afford to be.

"Mamma, I've just dropped a pearl," said the Lady Coriander,
bending over the Persian hearthrug.

"From your lips, sweet friend," said Lothaw, who came of age and
entered the room at the same moment.

"No, from my work. It was a very valuable pearl, mamma; papa gave
Isaacs and Sons L50,000 for the two."

"Ah, indeed," said the Duchess, languidly rising; "let us go to
luncheon."

"But your Grace," interposed Lothaw, who was still quite young, and
had dropped on all-fours on the carpet in search of the missing
gem, "consider the value--"

"Dear friend," interposed the Duchess, with infinite tact, gently
lifting him by the tails of his dress-coat, "I am waiting for your
arm."


CHAPTER II.


Lothaw was immensely rich. The possessor of seventeen castles,
fifteen villas, nine shooting-boxes, and seven town houses, he had
other estates of which he had not even heard.