mean to live in this part of London, I'm
sure I can't imagine. No doubt it seems rather smoky and grimy to you
after Mayfair and Belgravia."

"London is generally a little smoky," said Lady Alice, smiling in spite
of herself. "Thank you, Sophy: I thought you would do me justice."

And the hands of the two women met in a friendlier grasp than ever in
the days of yore.

"I must see about your room," said Miss Brooke, practically. It was her
way of holding out the olive branch. "You would like to be near Lesley,
I suppose. We shall try to make you comfortable, but, of course, you
won't expect the luxuries of your own home here."

"I shall be very comfortable, I am sure," said Lady Alice.

"What, does she mean by talking in that tone?" cried Lesley, hotly when
Doctor Sophy had left the room. "It was almost insulting!"

"No, my darling, no. It is only a memory of old times when I
was--exacting and dissatisfied. Yes, I see that I must have seemed so,
then. I had not had much experience in those days; and then your father
was not a man of substance as he seems to be now," said Lady Alice,
inspecting the room, with a half-smile. The smile died quickly away,
however, and was succeeded by a sad look, and a sigh. "Ah, poor Caspar!"

"He will be home in a day or two. Everybody says so."

"I trust so, dearest. And I will stay with--you till he comes home."

"Oh, but now that you have come, mamma you will never be allowed to go
away again."

"I never said that, Lesley. I have come to maintain a principle, that is
all. A wife ought to show that she trusts her husband, if he is falsely
accused."

And then Lady Alice lowered her eyes and changed the subject, for it
suddenly occurred to her that she had not been very ready, in her
younger years, to give the trust that now seemed to be her husband's
due.

But she settled down quite naturally in her husband's home during the
next few days. Lesley, remembering the discomfort of her own first few
weeks, expected her to say that the house was hideous and the
neighborhood detestable. But Lady Alice said nothing of the kind. She
thought it a fine old house--well-built and roomy--far preferable, she
said, to the places she had often occupied in the West End. With
different furniture and a little good taste it might be made absolutely
charming. And when she got as far as "absolutely charming," uttered with
her chin pillowed on one hand, and her eyes roving meditatively over the
dra