Chapter I

ON the very last day of July Lady Brasted sat in her drawing-room writing. She had just come up from luncheon, where she had talked tactfully to her husband about their journey next day, and had asked him intelligent questions about his new motor. On the way upstairs she had sighed and smiled sweetly at the thought of the dear, simple fellow, and the simple, dear fellow, that instant in his study, with hands trembling with annoyance, was lighting a large cigar in the hope of soothing his temper. But he had managed to control himself wonderfully.

Lady Brasted had another affair on hand, and once more she had summoned Monsignor Yolland, who had been so brilliant with Algy Banister, to deal with it. She had written a delicate note of congratulation to that priest, a week ago, on seeing the news in the " Tablet," and had coupled with it an earnest request to call upon her upon this Wednesday, her last day in town, at half-past two o'clock. He was rather late already. She had not mentioned that at three the patient would arrive. That omission was part of her tactfulness.

She hastily closed the envelope and directed it, as she heard the bell ring. Then she sat down in a low chair, arranged her draperies, and took up a little book.

He came in as usual, looking like a big puppy; and after a murmur or two she began.

" Dear Monsignor, I must congratulate you upon Mr. Algy. You managed it so brilliantly. But then, you know, you priests do know human nature so much better than And is the dear boy very happy indeed? I have just written to ask him to Esher for a week-end in November. Is he very happy indeed? "

" Oh! he's all right," murmured Dick with a roving eye.

" Really, you know, it's terrible to think of what converts have to suffer! Poor Mr. Banister, I am afraid, little knows "

" Mr. Banister! Why, what have you heard? "

" Why, it is terrible. Surely Mr. Algy has told you? He has been turned out of house and home practically penniless; there was a dreadful scene. His father "

" Lady Brasted, do let me tell you the facts. It seems to me Mr, Banister has behaved rather well. He has given Algy quite a decent allowance."

" But..."

" Indeed, it is so. It's quite true he won't have him home, at least for the present; it seems he's afraid of some younger brother or other. But he's got Algy an excellent place in the City, and, as I say, has given him a good allowance."

" But surely, turning him out of the house! "

" I think we mustn't judge him hardly. You know, Mr. Banister is really rather a religious man according to his lights. It's been a frightful shock."

" Oh! well; but surely Mr. Algy must feel it terribly? "

" Certainly he doesn't like it. But I assure you he doesn't consider himself persecuted. Nor do I."

" The dear boy! " murmured Lady Bras ted. " And what a support you must be to him! "

Dick blinked solemnly. He did not know what else to do.

" He's coming to Amplefleld with me next week," he said feebly,

" Well, it's all very wonderful and beautiful," cooed Lady Brasted. " And to think that he's eldest son, and all that.... But there's another matter I wanted to consult you about too; you managed the last so well. Have you ever heard of Miss Maple? "

" Eh? " said Dick, rather startled.

"I see you have. Well, you know, she's a dear friend of mine. I have known her, oh! — years and years. And she's almost become a kind of companion to Mrs. Banister. So it seems as if there was a Providence in it all. Well, Monsignor, I'm afraid she's very unhappy."

Dick eyed her.

" Very unhappy," she continued smoothly. " I think her mind's working. This step of Mr. Algy's caused her to think. Oh! I've often talked to her — carefully, of course."

" Well? "

" And there are other complications too. You've heard of Theo? "

" I have."

" Well, I needn't say any more. But I think Mr. Algy is mixed up in it now too."

" But what can I do? " murmured Dick in bewilderment.

" I thought you might just talk to her a little. About the Church.... I'm sure you understand."

" Lady Bras ted, how can I, possibly? I've never seen her. How could I be supposed to know? "

" My dear Monsignor, you need know nothing. Nothing at all. You see, it would all be so very suitable and beautiful in all ways. And I am sure she is sincere. Just a few words...."

" I can't, possibly," burst out Dick.

" Surely, Monsignor, a little tactful conversation about the Church. That is absolutely all. Who knows what it might lead to? "

Dick pursed his lips. He hated all this unspeakably. It was not that he was not zealous; it was the extraordinary disingenuousness of his hostess that troubled him; and he hated to be managed. While Lady Brasted flowed on, in small, slippery sentences that told him far more than did the words which composed i them, he was looking desperately for an escape. He saw quite well what was wanted. It was that Mary Maple should be allured into the Church, and that Algy should be compelled to marry her. He was to do the first, and Lady Bras ted the second. This was bad enough; but what complicated it far more was that he knew the state of Algy's feelings. And he knew, further, that in the boy's present mood he might be led only too easily in the direction Lady Brasted wanted. It would be a kind of escape from the conflict. During these few minutes he hated Lady Brasted with indescribable passion; he wanted to run amuck; to get up, to tell her what he thought, to smash her Italian pictures and her Delia Robbias into small fragments and stamp out of the house. But that would scarcely be priestly. A bell rang, and he did not notice it. He was listening only to Lady Brasted's account of a letter Mrs. Banister had written to her on the subject of Algy's conversion. Then the door was opened.

" Miss Maple, my lady."

Dick had never seen her before; and he was almost too angry to see her now. But, on reflection afterwards, he remembered that he had been astonished at her youthfulness. There came forward into the room a very beautifully dressed young lady, in a white veil and big hat. She looked perfectly charming. She had very bright eyes and coils of brown-gold hair; she carried herself with extreme grace and dignity. Then she was wrapped in Lady Brasted's arms, while Dick was considering how he could best get away.

Then the introductions were performed, and he took up his hat.

" I'm afraid I ought to be going, Lady Brasted."

;< Why, you said you could give me an hour, Monsignor," cried that lady with large, innocent eyes; " And you've hardly been here ten minutes. Please sit down again. I particularly wanted you to meet Miss Maple,"

Dick sat down again. What else could he do?

" I'm so glad you were able to come, Mary dear. It's our last day in town, you know; George and I leave for Scotland to-morrow. And I'm so glad Monsignor Yolland could just manage this afternoon too. He's very busy, I know; all our priests are."

Then began that flow of small ecclesiastical conversation that Dick knew by heart, and which yet was rather effective. Lady Brasted did manage somehow to convey an idea of the Catholic Church that seemed to impress and attract certain kinds of minds. She talked like a child wrapt in the serenity of a supernatural home; priests were, without exception, in her conversation, mysterious, holy, paternal persons, unfathomably learned, unutterably tender, and attractively ascetic. Dick, too, was forced to assent now and again to undeniable truths which she uttered; and he did so in the tone of a sulky boy. He was the more sulky as he saw that Miss Maple was apparently interested in him; he caught her bright eyes once or twice dwelling on his patch of purple silk, on his rather large waistcoat and boots. More than that, there was unmistakable humour in her face which tended to melt him. He thought she understood the situation.

Insensibly his anger grew less, for he was a humane and impressionable man. One thing alone kept up his stiffness, and that was the thought of Algy. Finally the talk turned upon him.

" Have you seen anything more of Mr. Algy, Mary? " asked Lady Bras ted. " You know it was Monsignor Yolland who received him into the Church."

Mary turned to him rather quickly.

" Indeed, I did not know that."

Dick assented. (He was beginning to behave better.)

" I thought it so brave of dear Mr. Algy to face his father like that. You know he told him straight out, face to face*"

" I was there," said Mary quietly.

" Why, of course you were, my dear. I had forgotten that. Tell us about it."

Mary dropped her eyes.

" He came into the drawing-room. Yes, he was very brave, though — though he looked such a boy.... He said it straight out to us all. I wanted to go away, but they wouldn't let me."

" And how did they take it? "

Mary started.

" Oh! I scarcely noticed. Yes, of course I did. They were simply bewildered, I think. Then Mr. Banister took Mr. Algy away with him into the library. I went away a couple of days afterwards."

There was something in her tone, extraordinarily slight, which made the priest glance up at her rather sharply. He could not have put his impression into words at the time. But he began to attend rather more carefully.

" I have just written to ask dear Mr. Algy to come down to us at Esher, in November, for a week-end. I always make up my parties long beforehand, you know. I wonder whether you would come to meet him? And you too, Monsignor, if you can get away? "

" I shall be delighted," said Mary.

Dick said he wasn't sure. Might he leave it until later? And meantime he was thinking furiously.

Then Lady Bras ted began in earnest. She began to talk about the Church again; then she moved on to Monsignor Yolland himself — his church in Soho — she even mentioned the hours of the masses, and the time for Benediction at which Monsignor always preached himself. Dick could preach no more than a cow, and he knew it. He wondered what on earth she was at. But she flowed on, contentedly enough; she hardly breathed Father Badminton's name; and Mary seemed to listen contentedly too, to Dick's astonishment; finally, she positively said that she must find her way to Soho.

" I am away for a month," said Dick hurriedly, hardly knowing what he said.

" When you come back then," smiled Lady Brasted inexorably. " Shall you be at Amplefield? "

" Yes," said Dick; " my holiday begins on Monday."

Then he took up his hat hastily, made his farewells and fled to think it out.

In the street he formulated one sentence.

" The worst of that woman," he said to himself, " is that she's generally perfectly right."

Lady Brasted turned to her friend.

" A charming man, isn't he? I was sure you would like him."

" I like him very much," said Mary seriously, staring at the fire-place.

" I wanted you to see one of our old Catholic priests. His father was a convert, you know; but somehow Monsignor has quite got the air. And he isn't at all a clever man, as you can see — just a blunt, straightforward man, but so holy. He is doing a wonderful work among the foreigners in Soho."

Mary nodded. She seemed to be thinking very deeply.

" Now do go and hear him preach, my dear. You know we've often talked about those things. And he's got a beautiful place, down near us at home. He's put his cousin in charge, but it belongs to him.... Mary, my dear, is anything the matter? "

Mary turned to her suddenly; and all the humour had left her face.

" Oh! I'm tired... tired," she cried; and then: " No, no; it's nothing."

" My dear," said Lady Brasted, " I understand perfectly. We will have a good talk some day."

Mary looked at her in silence.

" Oh I Annie," she said, " I wonder if you do."