Remembering Beatrice's confidence as to her sermon manufacturing
functions, Geoffrey felt amused at her father's _naive_ way of
describing them, and Beatrice also smiled faintly as she answered that
the sermon was ready. Just then the roll of wheels was heard without,
and the only fly that Bryngelly could boast pulled up in front of the
door.

"Here is the fly come for you, Mr. Bingham," said Mr. Granger--"and as
I live, her ladyship with it. Elizabeth, see if there isn't some tea
ready," and the old gentleman, who had all the traditional love of the
lower middle-class Englishman for a title, trotted off to welcome "her
ladyship."

Presently Lady Honoria entered the room, a sweet, if rather a set smile
upon her handsome face, and with a graceful mien, that became her tall
figure exceedingly well. For to do Lady Honoria justice, she was one
of the most ladylike women in the country, and so far as her personal
appearance went, a very perfect type of the class to which she belonged.

Geoffrey looked at her, saying to himself that she had clearly recovered
her temper, and that he was thankful for it. This was not wonderful, for
it is observable that the more aristocratic a lady's manners are, the
more disagreeable she is apt to be when she is crossed.

"Well, Geoffrey dear," she said, "you see I have come to fetch you. I
was determined that you should not get yourself drowned a second time on
your way home. How are you now?--but I need not ask, you look quite well
again."

"It is very kind of you, Honoria," said her husband simply, but it
was doubtful if she heard him, for at the moment she was engaged in
searching out the soul of Beatrice, with one of the most penetrating
and comprehensive glances that young lady had ever enjoyed the honour of
receiving. There was nothing rude about the look, it was too quick, but
Beatrice felt that quick as it might be it embraced her altogether. Nor
was she wrong.

"There is no doubt about it," Lady Honoria thought to herself, "she is
lovely--lovely everywhere. It was clever of her to leave her hair down;
it shows the shape of her head so well, and she is tall enough to stand
it. That blue wrapper suits her too. Very few women could show such a
figure as hers--like a Greek statue. I don't like her; she is different
from most of us; just the sort of girl men go wild about and women
hate."

All this passed through her mind in a flash. For a moment Lady Honoria's
blue eyes met