ear at the Parhams'."

Kitty rose deliberately, went to the bell and rang it.

"It must be quite time for tea."

"You haven't answered my question, Kitty."

"Haven't I?" The butler entered. "Tea, please, Wilson, at once."

"Kitty!--"

Lady Kitty seated herself defiantly a short distance from her
mother-in-law and crossed her hands on her lap.

"I am not going to the Parhams'."

"Kitty!--what do you mean?"

"I am not going to the Parhams'," repeated Kitty, slowly. "They should
behave a little more considerately to me if they want to get me to amuse
their guests for them."

At this moment Margaret French re-entered the room. Lady Tranmore turned
to her with a gesture of distress.

"Oh, Margaret knows," said Kitty. "I told her yesterday."

"The Parhams?" said Margaret.

Kitty nodded. Margaret paused, with her hand on the back of Lady
Tranmore's chair, and there was a short silence. Then Lady Tranmore
began, in a tone that endeavored not to be too serious:

"I don't know how you're going to get out of it, my dear. Lady Parham
has asked the Princess, first because she wished to come, secondly as an
olive-branch to you. She has taken the greatest pains about the dinner;
and afterwards there is to be an evening party to hear you, just the
right size, and just the right people."

"Cela m'est egal," said Kitty, "par-faite-ment egal! I am not going."

"What possible excuse can you invent?"

"I shall have a cold, the most atrocious cold imaginable. I take to my
bed just two hours before it is time to dress. My letter reaches Lady
Parham on the stroke of eight."

"Kitty, you would be doing a thing perfectly unheard of--most rude--most
unkind!"

The stiff, slight figure, like a strained wand, did not waver for a
moment before the grave indignation of the older woman.

"I should for once be paying off a score that has run on too long."

"You and Lady Parham had agreed to make friends, and let bygones be
bygones."

"That was before last week."

"Before Lord Parham said--what annoyed you?"

Kitty's eyes flamed.

"Before Lord Parham humiliated me in public--or tried to."

"Dear Kitty, he was annoyed, and said a sharp thing; but he is an old
man, and for William's sake, surely, you can forgive it. And Lady Parham
had nothing to do with it."

"She has not written to me to apologize," said Kitty, with a most
venomous calm. "Don't talk about it, mother. It will hurt you, and I am
determined. Lady Parham h