Part 50 (2/2)

Minnie Hescott, during the time it takes her to go down the terrace steps behind t.i.ta, comes to a resolution. _She will give t.i.ta a hint!_ It will be a gift of no mean order, and whether it be well received or not, will always be a gift to be remembered, perhaps with grat.i.tude.

And Minnie, who is strictly practical if nothing else, sees a fair hope of return in her present plan. She likes t.i.ta in her way--likes her perhaps better than she likes most people, and t.i.ta may be useful to her as Sir Maurice Rylton's _wife_. But t.i.ta, dismantled of her honours, would be no help at all, and therefore to keep t.i.ta enthroned is now a very special object with her astute cousin.

In and between all this is Minnie's detestation of Mrs. Bethune, who has occasionally been rude to her in the small ways that make up the sum of life.

Minnie, who is not sensitive, takes the bull by the horns.

”Mrs. Bethune,” says she, as they go by a bed of hollyhocks now hastening to their death, ”is a friend of yours?”

It is a question.

”Mrs. Bethune!” says t.i.ta, stopping and looking at her as if wondering.

What does she mean?

”Yes,” says Minnie pleasantly. ”A friend. An old friend!”

”Not an _old_ friend,” says t.i.ta quietly. ”She is a cousin of Maurice's.”

”Yes. But not a friend of yours?”

”No,” coldly.

”I'm glad of that,” says Minnie, with hilarity. ”I _hate_ old friends, don't you? They always cost one such a lot. They tell one such horrid news about one's self. They do such nasty things. Give me a stranger for choice. And as for Mrs. Bethune, now you have told me she is not a friend of yours, I suppose I may speak freely. Do you know, t.i.ta, I'd keep my eye on her if I were you. You have given me a free hand, so I can tell you what is in my mind. That woman--she means----”

”What?” asks t.i.ta, turning upon her with some haughtiness.

_ ”Business!”_ says Minnie Hescott, with an emphatic nod. ”Mischief all through. She's up to mischief of some sort. I tell you what,”

says Minnie, with her old young look, ”you've _got_ to keep your eye on her.”

”I could never keep my eye on anyone,” says t.i.ta, with a sudden, irrepressible little laugh. ”And why should I keep my eye on Mrs.

Bethune? To tell you a solemn truth, Minnie, I can't bear to look at her. She's beautiful, so they say, but to me she is hideous.

Therefore, why should I keep my eye on her? It,” with a whimsical little glance, ”would hurt me so.”

”Nevertheless, you _should!”_ says Minnie solemnly. ”She's a viper!”

”Vipers are ugly.”

”And dangerous.”

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