“Very nice for the young man,” she said; “and he’s a good-looking young fellow; but I doubt if he’s quite the right loverfor dear June.”

Soames touched the edge of a gold-lacquered lustre.

“She’ll tame him,” he said, stealthily wetting his finger and rubbing it on the knobby bulbs. “That’s genuine oldlacquer; you can’t get it nowadays. It’d do well in a sale at Jobson’s.” He spoke with relish, as though he felt that he wascheering up his old aunt. It was seldom he was so confidential. “I wouldn’t mind having it myself,” he added; “you canalways get your price for old lacquer.”

“You’re so clever with all those things,” said Aunt Ann. “And how is dear Irene?”

Soames’s smile died.

“Pretty well,” he said. “Complains she can’t sleep; she sleeps a great deal better than I do,” and he looked at his wife,who was talking to Bosinney by the door.

Aunt Ann sighed.

“Perhaps,” she said, “it will be just as well for her not to see so much of June. She’s such a decided character, dearJune!”

Soames flushed; his flushes passed rapidly over his flat cheeks and centered between his eyes, where they remained, thestamp of disturbing thoughts.

“I don’t know what she sees in that little flibbertigibbet,” he burst out, but noticing that they were no longer alone,he turned and again began examining the lustre.

“They tell me Jolyon’s bought another house,” said his father’s voice close by; “he must have a lot of money — he musthave more money than he knows what to do with! Montpellier Square, they say; close to Soames! They never told me, Irenenever tells me anything!”

“Capital position, not two minutes from me,” said the voice of Swithin, “and from my rooms I can drive to the Club ineight.”