Lady Drewitt was not without shrewdness. Cecily Seymour was useful to her as a target for her arrows of scorn; but she possessed no illusions as to the nature of her niece and nephew's devotion. The uncompromising independence of Beresford, although it angered her, at the same time commanded her respect. She was a woman, and the strong masculine personality of Beresford appealed to her in spite of herself. She demanded subservience; yet scorned those who gave it. She strove to break spirits, all the time instinctively admiring those that refused to be broken.
As the Edward Seymours took their leave Lady Drewitt said
"Cecily, don't bring Edward again, he fidgets too much."
On the way home Mrs. Edward made it clear to her lord that if Aunt Caroline failed in what they hoped she would not fail, it would be entirely due to his constitutional inability to keep still.
"I'm sorry," he said miserably.
"You're not, you do it on purpose," she retorted in a tone which convinced him that on the other side of their front-door there awaited him tears, and yet more tears.
