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Of course, if Verena should be tempted by the idea of being made so much of by the Burrages, the danger of Basil Ransom getting any kind of hold on her would cease to be pressing.
He threw the glass into the bushes and went in to wash up. Before he was called to supper he had forgotten all about the man. In the cool of the evening the Burrages sat on the porch, rather crowded for the space was small. Mark, on the bottom step, smoked a pipe and watched the eucalyptus leaves printed in pointed black groupings against the Prussian-blue sky.
Charlie Crowder was a college chum of Mark's who had spent several vacations on the ranch and who was regarded by the Burrages as a fount of wisdom. Mark from the steps said yes, Crowder had taken him to the house. There was a pause after this, the parents sunk in gratified musings.
It would be impossible to use the Burrages as a shelter on the assumption that they were not dangerous, for they became dangerous from the moment they set up as sympathisers, took the ground that what they offered the girl was simply a boundless opportunity.
The fact was, that Miss Burrage was born and bred in Bristol, where she had several relations, who were not in high life, and by whom she consequently dreaded to be claimed. When she first met Lady Diana Chillingworth at Buxton, she had passed herself upon her for one of the Burrages of Dorsetshire, and she knew that, if her ladyship was to discover the truth, she would cast her off with horror.
What had been in her own mind was that if Verena should appear to lend herself to the Burrages Basil Ransom might be discouraged might think that, shabby and poor, there was no chance for him as against people with every advantage of fortune and position. She didn't see him relax his purpose so easily; she knew she didn't believe he was of that pusillanimous fibre.
"I beg your pardon, ma'am, for my mistake; I supposed it was some other lady of the same name; there are so many Burrages. Only three yards did you say, ma'am?" "Nay, I don't care if you give me four. I'm of the Burrages of Dorsetshire." "A very good family, those Burrages of Dorsetshire, as any in England," said Lady Di. "and put up twelve yards of this for me, Mrs. Puffit."
"Sir, that young lady is one of the Burrages of Dorsetshire, as good a family as any in England." "Madam," said John Barker, replying in a solemnity of tone equal to her ladyship's, "that young lady is one of the Burrages of Bristol, drysalters; niece to Dinah Plait, who is widow to a man, who was, in his time, as honest a cheesemonger as any in England." "Miss Burrage!
Before she rose to return to Tenth Street she had made up her mind that there was no menace so great as the menace of Basil Ransom; she had accepted in thought any arrangement which would deliver her from that. If the Burrages were to take Verena they would take her from Olive immeasurably less than he would do; it was from him, from him they would take her most.
"No, it can't be Hetty. I beg pardon, madam," said she, "but I took you for Did not I hear you say the name of Burrage, friend Puffit?" "Yes, Burrage; one of the Burrages of Dorsetshire," said the milliner, with malicious archness. "One of the Burrages of Dorsetshire: I beg pardon. But did you ever see such a likeness, friend Barker, to my poor niece, Hetty Burrage?"
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