Lady Susan nodded.

"That's why."

"Do you mean--do you mean--" he began stormily, then, meeting her quiet,
humorous gaze, stammered off into silence. Presently he fixed his monocle
in one of his fierce old eyes and surveyed her from behind it as from
behind a barricade.

"Do you mean me to understand that that's the reason you declined to marry
me?"

She laughed a little.

"I think it was. I didn't want to be browbeaten into submission--as you
browbeat poor Virginia, and as you would Tony if he hadn't got a good dash
of the Brabazon devil in him. You're a confirmed bully, you know."

"I shouldn't have bullied you." There was an odd note of wistfulness in
the harsh voice, and for a moment the handsome, arrogant old face softened
incredibly. "I shouldn't have bullied you, Susan."

"Yes, you would. You couldn't have helped it. You'd like to bully my little
Ann into marrying Tony if you dared--monster!"

The grim mouth beneath the clipped moustache relaxed into an unwilling
smile.

"I believe I would," he admitted. "Hang it all, Susan, it would settle the
boy if he were married. He wants a wife to look after him."