‘You have improved on Peter Smithers, Louisa,’ she said.

The Countess turned to her mildly.

‘You are certainly thinking of Peter Smithers,’ Mrs. Fiske continued, bracing her shoulders.  ’Surely, you remember poor Peter, Louisa?  An old flame of your own!  He was going to kill himself, but married a Devonshire woman, and they had disagreeables, and she died, and he was undressing, and saw her there in the bed, and wouldn’t get into it, and had the mattress, and the curtains, and the counterpanes, and everything burnt.  He told us it himself.  You must remember it, Louisa?’

The Countess remembered nothing of the sort.  No doubt could exist of its having been the Portuguese Marquis de Col, because he had confided to her the whole affair, and indeed come to her, as his habit was, to ask her what he could possibly do, under the circumstances.  If Mrs. Fiske’s friend, who married the Devonshire person, had seen the same thing, the coincidence was yet more extraordinary than the case.  Mrs. Fiske said it assuredly was, and glanced at her aunt, who, as the Countess now rose, declaring she must speak to Evan, chid Mrs. Fiske, and wished her and Peter Smithers at the bottom of the sea.

‘No, no, Mama,’ said the Countess, laughing, ’that would hardly be proper,’ and before Mrs. Fiske could reply, escaped to complain to Evan of the vulgarity of those women.

She was not prepared for the burst of wrath with which Evan met her.  ‘Louisa,’ said he, taking her wrist sternly, ’you have done a thing I can’t forgive.  I find it hard to bear disgrace myself:  I will not consent to bring it upon others.  Why did you dare to couple Miss Jocelyn’s name with mine?’

The Countess gave him out her arm’s length.  ‘Speak on, Van,’ she said, admiring him with a bright gaze.

‘Answer me, Louisa; and don’t take me for a fool any more,’ he pursued.  ’You have coupled Miss Jocelyn’s name with mine, in company, and I insist now upon your giving me your promise to abstain from doing it anywhere, before anybody.’

‘If she saw you at this instant, Van,’ returned the incorrigible Countess, ’would she desire it, think you?  Oh!  I must make you angry before her, I see that!  You have your father’s frown.  You surpass him, for your delivery is more correct, and equally fluent.  And if a woman is momentarily melted by softness in a man, she is for ever subdued by boldness and bravery of mien.’

Evan dropped her hand.  ’Miss Jocelyn has done me the honour to call me her friend.  That was in other days.’  His lip quivered.  ’I shall not see Miss Jocelyn again.  Yes; I would lay down my life for her; but that’s idle talk.  No such chance will ever come to me.  But I can save her from being spoken of in alliance with me, and what I am, and I tell you, Louisa, I will not have it.’  Saying which, and while he looked harshly at her, wounded pride bled through his eyes.