? I can't have done, or
you would not have been so surprised when you heard of our engagement."

"I knew you cared for him. You had a perfectly different face when he
was in the room. We all knew. We were sorry for you, because we
thought he didn't return it. Mother was thinking of sending you to Aunt
Emma's."

"Oh, she was, was she!" Teresa tossed her head once more, but the inner
happiness was too great to allow of more than a passing irritation. She
stretched out her hand, and gripped her sister by the arm.

"Mary! you are horrid. Not one single nice word yet, not one
congratulation, when I came in at once to tell you before anyone in the
world! If it had been mother, she'd have been hanging round my neck in
hysterics of excitement, but you do nothing but lie there and croak, and
throw cold water. I'm your own sister--does it seem so extraordinary
that a man should want to marry me? Mary, be _nice_! Congratulate me!
Won't you be glad to have a married sister, and all the fun and
excitement of a wedding in the house?"

"Fun!" echoed Mary, and shuddered eloquently. In imagination she saw
her mother collecting store catalogues, comparing prices to the fraction
of a penny, and dictating innumerable notes. In imagination she saw
herself spending week after week eternally sewing for Teresa, marking
for Teresa, running ribbons through Teresa's _lingerie_, unpacking
Teresa's presents, packing Teresa's boxes, tidying, arranging, slaving
for Teresa, while Teresa herself paid calls, and sat with her lover in
the drawing-room. All these things she would do when the time came, and
do them meekly and well, but in the doing there would be no "fun."
There was no lightsomeness of spirit in the Mallison household to ease
the strain of small duties, or turn a _contretemps_ into a joke. Mrs
Mallison's heart would swell with pride at the prospect of providing an
outfit for the future Mrs Dane Peignton; she would say and believe that
the whole responsibility was borne on her shoulders; nevertheless, the
preparation of that outfit would add years to the lives of every human
creature beneath her roof.

"I can't say that I look forward to the wedding itself, but I hope you
will be happy. It would be nice for one of us to be happy. Captain
Peignton is a good man; I hope he will be happy too." Mary hesitated,
and a pathetic curiosity showed itself in her face. "I suppose you
couldn't tell me what he said?"

Teresa sh