'No, no, no! They would still see you were the sweetest dear. But
tell me all about it. How very much in love you must have been!'
said Nuttie, a magnificent vision of a young sailor with curly hair
and open throat rising before her.

'I think I was more frightened than in love,' faintly said Mrs.
Egremont. 'At least I didn't know it was love, I thought he was only
kind to me.'

'But you liked it?' said Ursula magisterially.

'I liked it, oh, I liked it! It gave me a feeling such as nothing
else ever did, but I never thought of its being love, he was so much
older.'

'Older!' exclaimed Nuttie, much taken aback. 'Oh! as old as Mr.
Dutton?'

'Mr. Dutton is thirty-six, I think. Yes, he was older than that.'

'Mother, how could you?' For to be older than Mr: Dutton seemed to
the youthful fancy to be near decrepitude; but she added, 'I suppose
he was very noble, and had done great things.'

'He was the grandest gentleman I ever saw, and had such, a manner,'
said the mother, passing over the latter suggestion. 'Anyway, I
never thought what it all meant--all alone with the children as I
was--till I found people looking at me, and laughing at me, and then
I heard Lady de Lyonnais and Mr. Egremont were coming down, very