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What with the collapse of the war scare； and this canard about Mrs。
Noel； there was indeed cause for alarm。
The afternoon post brought a letter from Lord Valleys marked Express。
Lady Valleys opened it with a slight grimace； which deepened as she
read。 Her handsome； florid face wore an expression of sadness seldom
seen there。 There was； in fact； more than a touch of dignity in her
reception of the unpalatable news。
〃Eustace declares his intention of marrying this Mrs。 Noel〃so ran
her husband's letter〃I know； unfortunately； of no way in which I
can prevent him。 If you can discover legitimate means of dissuasion；
it would be well to use them。 My dear； it's the very devil。〃
It was the very devil！ For； if Miltoun had already made up his mind
to marry her； without knowledge of the malicious rumour； what would
not be his determination now？ And the woman of the world rose up in
Lady Valleys。 This marriage must not come off。 It was contrary to
almost every instinct of one who was practical not only by character；
but by habit of life and training。 Her warm and full…blooded nature
had a sneaking sympathy with love and pleasure； and had she not been
practical； she might have found this side of her a serious drawback
to the main tenor of a life so much in view of the public eye。 Her
consciousness of this danger in her own case made her extremely alive
to the risks of an undesirable connectionespecially if it were a
marriageto any public man。 At the same time the mother…heart in
her was stirred。 Eustace had never been so deep in her affection as
Bertie； still he was her first…born； and in face of news which meant
that he was lost to herfor this must indeed be 'the marriage of two
minds' （or whatever that quotation was）she felt strangely jealous
of a woman； who had won her son's love； when she herself had never
won it。 The aching of this jealousy gave her face for a moment
almost a spiritual expression； then passed away into impatience。 Why
should he marry her？ Things could be arranged。 People spoke of it
already as an illicit relationship； well then； let people have what
they had invented。 If the worst came to the worst； this was not the
only constituency in England； and a dissolution could not be far off。
Better anything than a marriage which would handicap him all his
life！ But would it be so great a handicap？ After all； beauty
counted for much！ If only her story were not too conspicuous！ But
what was her story？ Not to know it was absurd！ That was the worst
of people who were not in Society； it was so difficult to find out！
And there rose in her that almost brutal resentment； which ferments
very rapidly in those who from their youth up have been hedged round
with the belief that they and they alone are the whole of the world。
In this mood Lady Valleys passed the letter to her daughters。 They
read； and in turn handed it to Bertie； who in silence returned it to
his mother。
But that evening； in the billiard…room； having manoeuvred to get him
to herself； Barbara said to Courtier：
〃I wonder if you will answer me a question； Mr。 Courtier？〃
〃If I may； and can。〃
Her low…cut dress was of yew…green； with； little threads of flame…
colour； matching her hair； so that there was about her a splendour of
darkness and whiteness and gold； almost dazzling； and she stood very
still； leaning back against the lighter green of the billiard…table；
grasping its edge so tightly that the smooth strong backs of her
hands quivered。
〃We have just heard that Miltoun is going to ask Mrs。 Noel to marry
him。 People are never mysterious； are they； without good reason？ I
wanted you to tell mewho is she？〃
〃I don't think I quite grasp the situation；〃 murmured Courtier。 〃You
saidto marry him？〃
Seeing that she had put out her hand； as if begging for the truth； he
added： 〃How can your brother marry hershe's married！〃
〃Oh！〃
〃I'd no idea you didn't know that much。〃
〃We thought there was a divorce。〃
The expression of which mention has been madethat peculiar white…
hot sardonically jolly lookvisited Courtier's face at once。 〃Hoist
with their own petard！ The usual thing。 Let a pretty woman live
alonethe tongues of men will do the rest。〃
〃It was not so bad as that；〃 said Barbara dryly； 〃they said she had
divorced her husband。〃
Caught out thus characteristically riding past the hounds Courtier
bit his lips。
〃You had better hear the story now。 Her father was a country parson；
and a friend of my father's； so that I've known her from a child。
Stephen Lees Noel was his curate。 It was a 'snap' marriageshe was
only twenty； and had met hardly any men。 Her father was ill and
wanted to see her settled before he died。 Well； she found out almost
directly； like a good many other people； that she'd made an utter
mistake。〃
Barbara came a little closer。
〃What was the man like？〃
〃Not bad in his way； but one of those narrow； conscientious pig…
headed fellows who make the most trying kind of husbandbone
egoistic。 A parson of that type has no chance at all。 Every mortal
thing he has to do or say helps him to develop his worst points。 The
wife of a man like that's no better than a slave。 She began to show
the strain of it at last； though she's the sort who goes on till she
snaps。 It took him four years to realize。 Then； the question was；
what were they to do？ He's a very High Churchman； with all their
feeling about marriage； but luckily his pride was wounded。 Anyway；
they separated two years ago； and there she is； left high and dry。
People say it was her fault。 She ought to have known her own mind
at twenty！ She ought to have held on and hidden it up somehow。
Confound their thick…skinned charitable souls； what do they know of
how a sensitive woman suffers？ Forgive me； Lady BarbaraI get hot
over this。〃 He was silent； then seeing her eyes fixed on him； went
on： 〃Her mother died when she was born； her father soon after her
marriage。 She's enough money of her own； luckily； to live on
quietly。 As for him； he changed his parish and runs one somewhere in
the Midlands。 One's sorry for the poor devil； too； of course！ They
never see each other； and； so far as I know； they don't correspond。
That； Lady Barbara； is the simple history。〃
Barbara； said； 〃Thank you；〃 and turned away； and he heard her mutter：
〃What a shame！〃
But he could not tell whether it was Mrs。 Noel's fate； or the
husband's fate； or the thought of Miltoun that had moved her to those
words。
She puzzled him by her self…possession； so almost hard； her way of
refusing to show feeling。' Yet what a woman she would make if the
drying curse of high…caste life were not allowed to stereotype and
shrivel her！ If enthusiasm were suffered to penetrate and fertilize
her soul！ She reminded him of a great tawny lily。 He had a vision
of her； as that flower； floating； freed of roots and the mould of its
cultivated soil； in the liberty of the impartial air。 What a
passionate and noble thing she might become！ What radiance and
perfume she would exhale！ A spirit Fleur…de…Lys！ Sister to all the
noble flowers of light that inhabited the wind！
Leaning in t