His aunt, Lady Ushant, had done what little she could for him, but it had been felt to be impossible that he should remain at Bragton, which was the property of the cousin who was at law with him.

From the moment of his birth the Honourable Mrs.Morton, who was also his aunt by marriage, had been his bitter enemy.

He was the son of an innkeeper's daughter, and according to her theory of life, should never even have been noticed by the real Mortons.

And this honourable old lady was almost equally adverse to Lady Ushant, whose husband had simply been a knight, and who had left nothing behind him.

Thus Reginald Morton had been friendless since his grandfather died, and had lived in Germany, nobody quite knew how.