Freda sat quietly down opposite her father, and said abruptly,—­

’Papa, this odious subject must be begun and ended between us this day.  If you will be good enough to answer me a few questions and to listen to me, I will never mention it again.  Are you really engaged to Lady Mary Nugent, or is it a horrible dream?’

’I—­yes—­I certainly am, my dear—­engaged to be married to her ladyship.’

‘And you mean to marry her?  Impossible!’

’Do you consider me a man of honour? or am I one likely to break my word when pledged?’

’Oh! papa, when a woman proposes and makes love, and waits till the very moment when it suits her own convenience to marry, do you think she deserves consideration?  You know that Lady Mary Nugent has done it all herself, and that you would never have taken the trouble, or had the courage to propose for any woman under the sun, if she had not asked you first.  You know you do not want to marry.  I would give the world to know how she managed to bring you to the point.’

’Really, Freda, this is too—­too—­personal, and rude, I may call it—­and—­’

’Forgive me, papa.  Of course you are your own master, and are at liberty to be chosen by any woman, but she will not choose me, nor I her.  I hate Lady Mary Nugent, despise her most intensely, and shall leave this house before she comes into it; never—­’

It seemed as if an invisible hand checked the end of Freda’s determination, for she stopped short at the ‘never.’

’But what I came particularly to say, papa, is, that I believe I have some little private fortune of my own, my dear mother’s, in short, and I suppose I can have that when I like.’

‘Certainly—­certainly—­but—­’

’Then I wish both you and Lady Mary Nugent to understand that I shall not live here.  Not on your account, but on hers.  I ask, as a particular favour, that I may not be informed of the day of your marriage; and I shall make it a point of going away in a month or so, so as to leave you free to act.  I shall hope to hear from you, and to write to you.  I am only sorry for you, because she cannot understand your tastes; but that is nothing.  I don’t think either she or her daughter ever read any book but a fashionable novel in their lives.  But what is the difference!  Money and tact against the world!  I cannot help speaking my mind for this first and last time.  Forgive me.  You will not have me long to speak it, and my successor never spoke her’s in her life, so she will not bore you by abruptness and sincerity, as I perhaps have done.’

Freda had spoken so fast that she paused to take breath, and during that necessary process her father wiped his face, as if he, too, were exhausted by her volubility.  Freda could scarcely help smiling.

‘I am very sorry for everything I have ever done to displease you,’ she began again; ’and I only hope you will not be so unhappy, as I am afraid you will be.’