use she is so innocent, and all unused to this society. She is just
my queen and my darling. Will you remember that?"

And as Anne looked she saw there were two great tears in his eyes--his
deep-gray eyes which always wore a smile of whimsical mockery--and she
felt a lump in her throat.

This dear, dear brother! And she could do nothing to comfort him--one
way or another.

"Hector, I will promise--always," she said, and her voice trembled. "I
am sure she is sweet and good; and she is so lovely and fascinating--and
oh, I wish--I wish--too!"

Then he bent down and kissed her, just as his mother and Lady
Harrowfield came into the room.

Anne felt glad she had not informed them they were to meet the Browns,
as was her first intention. She seemed suddenly to see with Hector's
eyes, and to realize how narrow and spiteful Lady Harrowfield could be.

Most of the guests arrived one after the other, and were talking about
the intimate things they all knew, when "Mr. and Mrs. Brown" were
announced, and the whole party turned to look at them, while Lady
Harrowfield tittered, and whispered almost audibly to her neighbor:

"These are the creatures Florence insisted upon my giving an invitation
to last night. I did it for her sake, of course, so wretchedly poor she
is, dear Florence, and she hopes to make a good thing out of them. Look
at the man!" she added. "Has one ever sees such a person, except in a
pork-butcher's shop!"

"I have never been in one," said Hector, agreeably, a dangerous flash in
his eyes; "but I hear things are too wonderfully managed at Harrowfield
House--though I had no idea you did the shopping yourself, dear Lady
Harrowfield."

She looked up at him, rage in her heart. Hector had long been a hopeless
passion of hers--so good-looking, so whimsical, and, above all, so
indifferent! She had never been able to dominate and ride rough-shod
ever him. When she was rude and spiteful he answered her back, and then
neglected her for the rest of the evening.

But why should he defend these people, whom, probably, he did not even
know?

She would watch and see.

Then they went in to luncheon, without waiting for two or three stray
young men who were always late.

And Theodora found herself sitting between the Crow and a sleek-looking
politician; while poor Josiah, extremely ill at ease, sat at the left
hand of his hostess.

Anne had purposely not put Hector near Theodora; with her mother there
she thought