He was repelled
as well as allured. She represented things which he hated. First, the
mere material power, which no man can bully, whatsoever his humour. It
was the power he most longed for and, as he could not hope to possess
it, most sneered at and raged against. Also, as she talked, it was
plain that her habit of self-control and her sense of resource would
be difficult to deal with. He was a survival of the type of man whose
simple creed was that women should not possess resources, as when they
possessed them they could rarely be made to behave themselves.
But while he thought these things, he walked by her side and both
listened and talked smiling the agreeable smile.
"You will pardon my dull bewilderment," he said. "It is not unnatural,
is it--in a mere outsider?"
And Betty, with the beautiful impersonal smile, said:
"We felt it so unfortunate that even your solicitors did not know your
address."
When, at length, they turned and strolled towards the house, a carriage
was drawing up before the door, and at the sight of it, Betty saw her
companion slightly lift his eyebrows. Lady Anstruthers had been out and
was returning. The groom got down from the box, and two men-servants
appeared upon the steps.
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