stayed at home from four o'clock till seven o'clock and wore beautiful
tea-gowns. She had a very small list of people to whom she was always at
home written on a slate, but one by one they had been reduced in number.
Now there were five--Father Molyneux, who never came except by
appointment; Sir Edmund Grosse; and three ladies who happened to be
abroad for the winter.

The week was from a Friday to a Thursday, and on the Thursday several
things happened to Molly. It was a brilliant day, and although those
evenings from four till seven when nobody came were sorely trying, she
was in very good spirits. A friend coming out of church the day before
had told her that she had met Sir Edmund Grosse at a country house.

"He said such pretty things about you," purred the speaker, a nice newly
"come out" girl who admired Molly very much.

But the main point to Molly had been the fact that Edmund had been away
from London. Surely he would come directly now! She seemed to hear,
constantly ringing in her ears, the voice in which he had asked if he
might "come again very soon."

Thursday had been a good day altogether, for Molly had skated at
Prince's and come home with a beautiful complexion to be "At Home" to
the privileged from four till seven. She got out of her motor, and was
walking to the lift when it came whizzing down from above, and the
little friend who had said the nice things yesterday stepped out of it,
looking very bright.

"Oh, Miss Dexter," she said, "may I come up again and tell you my good
news?" Molly took her kindly by the arm and drew her into the lift
again, and they went up. But she hoped the girl would not stay. She
wanted to be quite alone, so that if anybody came who mattered very much
they would not be disturbed.

"Well, what's the good news?"

Molly looked brilliant as she stood smiling in the middle of the room.

"Well, it isn't a bit settled yet, but I met Sir Edmund Grosse at
luncheon, and he asked me if mother would let me go on his yacht to
Cairo. Lady Rose Bright is going and Lady Charlton, and he said they all
wanted something very young indeed to go with them, so they thought I'd
better come, and his nephew Jimmy, too. Wasn't it _awfully_ kind of
him?"

Molly turned and poked the fire.

"When do they go?" she asked.

"Sir Edmund starts to-morrow, but Lady Rose and Lady Charlton will
follow in about ten days. They will join the yacht at Marseilles, and I
should go with them. Do you th