elicate equipoise--the least thing might upset it, and in its
fall it might involve much that was of value to Jenny. There was at
least one person who was not averse from anything which would set a
check to Jenny's plans and shake her power.

Jenny and I had been to Fillingford Manor--where, by the way, I took the
opportunity of inspecting Mistress Eleanor Lacey's picture, Fillingford
acting as my guide and himself examining it with much apparent
interest--and, as we drove home, she said to me suddenly:

"Why does Lady Sarah dislike me so much?"

"She has three excellent reasons. You eclipse her, you threaten her, and
you dislike her."

"How does she know I dislike her?"

"How do you know she dislikes you, if you come to that? You women always
seem to me to have special antennae for finding out dislikes. I don't
mean to say they're infallible."

"At any rate Lady Sarah and I seem to agree in this case," laughed
Jenny. "She's right if she thinks I dislike her, and I'm certainly right
in thinking she dislikes me. But how do I threaten her?"

"Come, come! Do you mean me to answer that? Nobody likes the idea of
being turned out--any more than they welcome playing second fiddle."

"I'm always very civil to her--oh, not only at Fillingford! I've taken
pains to pay her all the proper honors about the Institute. Very fussy
she is there, too! She's always dropping in at Ivydene to ask something
stupid. She quite worries poor Mr. Powers."

Jenny might resent Lady Sarah's excessive activity at Ivydene, but she
gave no sign of being disquieted by it. To me, however, it seemed to be,
under the circumstances, rather dangerous; but not being supposed to
know, or to have guessed, the circumstances, I could say nothing.

Jenny's next remark perhaps explained her easiness of mind.

"We don't let her in if we don't want her. I must say that Mr. Powers is
very good at keeping people out. Well, I must try to be more pleasant. I
don't really dislike her so much; it's chiefly that family iciness which
is so trying. It's a bore always to have to be setting to work to melt
people, isn't it?"

I hold no brief against Lady Sarah, and do not regard her as the villain
of the piece. She was a woman of a nature dry, yet despotic; she desired
power and the popularity that gives power, but had not the temper or the
arts to win them. Jenny's triumphs wounded her pride, Jenny's plans
threatened her position in her own home at Fillingford Man