r bag, and made her put on her cloak, with cousinly civility. In the
omnibus on the way to the house he and Mary gossiped in a corner, while
the cabinet minister and the editor went to sleep, and the two members
of Parliament practised some courageous French on the Austrian attache.

"Is it to be a large party?" he asked of his companion.

"Oh! they always fill the house. A good many came down yesterday."

"Well, I'm not curious," said Ashe, "except as to one person."

"Who?"

"Lady Kitty Bristol."

Mary Lyster smiled.

"Yes, poor child, I heard from the Grosville girls that she was to be
here."

"Why 'poor child'?"

"I don't know. Quite the wrong expression, I admit. It should be 'poor
hostess.'"

"Oh!--the Grosvilles complain?"

"No. They're only on tenter-hooks. They never know what she will do
next."

"How good for the Grosvilles!"

"You think society is the better for shocks?"

"Lady Grosville can do with them, anyway. What a masterful woman! But
I'll back Lady Kitty."

"I haven't seen her yet," said Mary. "I hear she is a very odd-looking
little thing."

"Extremely pretty," said Ashe.

"Really?" Mary lifted incredulous eyebrows. "Well, now I shall know what
you admire."

"Oh, my tastes are horribly catholic--I admire so many people," said
Ashe, with a glance at the well-dressed elegance beside him. Mary
colored a little, unseen; and the rattle of the carriage as it entered
the covered porch of Grosville Park cut short their conversation.

* * * * *

"Well, I'm glad you got in," said Lady Grosville, in her full, loud
voice, "because we are connections. But of course I regard the loss of a
seat to our side just now as a great disaster."

"Very grasping, on your part!" said Ashe. "You've had it all your own
way lately. Think of Portsmouth!"

Lady Grosville, however, as she met his bantering look, did not find
herself at all inclined to think of Portsmouth. She was much more
inclined to think of William Ashe. What a good-looking fellow he had
grown! She heaved an inward sigh, of mingled envy and appreciation,
directed towards Lady Tranmore.

Poor Susan indeed had suffered terribly in the death of her eldest son.
But the handsomer and abler of the two brothers still remained to
her--and the estate was safe. Lady Grosville thought of her own three
daughters, plain and almost dowerless; and of that conceited young man,
the heir, whom she could hardly persuade