He was a very agreeable as well as an accomplished and wealthy man, and--he fell in love with Barbara.

With the cleverness of her sex she managed to put him off and to avoid any actual proposal before they left for Switzerland in the early summer.
Thither, happily, he could not follow them, since his official duties prevented him from leaving the Embassy.

Lady Thompson was much annoyed at what she considered his bad conduct, and said as much to Barbara.
Her niece listened, but did not discuss the matter, with the result that Lady Thompson's opinion of the Hon.

Charles Russell was confirmed.

Was it not clear that there had been no proposal, although it was equally clear that he ought to have proposed?
Poor Barbara! Perhaps this was the only act of deception of which she was ever guilty.
So things went on until the previous day, the Monday after their arrival in London, when, most unhappily, Lady Thompson went out to lunch and met the Hon.