Bruce looked rather guilty and uncomfortable.

'I like Lady Cannon,' he said presently. 'She's a woman of sound sense.
She has a very strong feeling of responsibility about Hyacinth.'

'Yes.' Edith and Hyacinth had arranged not to say any more, as it would
be useless.

'A very discreet woman, too,' continued Bruce. 'And what news about
Hyacinth?'

'None, I think. She seems very happy.'

'Happy! _That_ can't last.'

After dinner Bruce followed Edith into the drawing-room, looked angrily
at the flowers and said--

'Now what's the meaning of all this? Mind, I'm not jealous. It isn't my
nature to be. What I dislike is being made a fool of. If I thought that
Raggett, after all I've done for him--'

'Oh, Bruce! How can you be so absurd? A poor harmless creature--'

'Harmless creature, indeed! I think it extremely marked, calling on you
when I was out.'

'He didn't know you were out. It's the usual time to pay a visit, and he
really came just to ask me to belong to the Society.'