th and
Debrett and all in another twenty years."

To Lizzie also there came other signs of the times. She noticed that now
the relations and friends of the family gathered more frequently
together than ever before within her memory. The Duke, Lord Richard were
continually in the house, and the adherents, Lady Carloes, Lord Crewner,
the Massiters and all the others, called, dined, came to tea.

Throughout it all there was no expression of any change in the family
policy. To Lizzie Lady Adela admitted nothing, only there were occasions
when, almost against her will, she asked for advice, was uncertain a
little, vague a little, even appealing a little.

Here Lizzie was exactly right, assisted and yet admitted no need for
assistance. Her tact was perfect.

Lizzie had also Lady Seddon to besiege her attention.

To her considerable surprise Rachel had written to her three times
during this year. On each occasion there had been some definite reason
for writing, but behind the reason there had been some implied
friendliness and Lizzie had, in her turn, sent answers that were more
than businesslike replies.

Lizzie had seen Rachel several times in January and at each meeting her
impression of Rachel's unhappiness had grown.

"There've been three of you," Lizzie said to herself. "There was the
girl in the schoolroom, and a fierce awkward difficult creature she was.
There was the girl in her first season, and a delightful, joyful,
radiant creature she was. And now--well, there's a girl married, fierce
again, suffering again--above all, afraid of herself."

In May Rachel asked Lizzie to go and see her, and Lizzie went. That
meeting was in no way personal: Rachel seemed less friendly than she had
been on that day, a year ago, when she had been to Lizzie's, but behind
all that outward stiffness the appeal was there.

"She wants me to help her," thought Lizzie. "She's too proud now to ask
me: the time will come though."

All this was connected, she knew, with the fortunes of the house.
Through Lord John, Lord Richard, the Duke, Lady Adela, Dorchester,
Norris, Mrs. Newton the spirit of uneasiness was abroad.

The Duchess, during these months, more than ever before, was present in
every room and passage of the house--

The shadow of some coming event hovered.

II

Over Lizzie's other life, also, the Duchess hovered. Were any disaster
to snatch Her Grace from the domination of this world into a
comparatively humble po