of them--and we enjoyed it, oh, so much!"

And she smiled one of her adorable smiles which melted the heart of
every one else in the room. But of Lady Harrowfield she made an enemy
for life. The venomous woman reddened violently--under her paint--while
she looked this upstart through and through. But Theodora was quite
unconscious of her anger. To her Lady Harrowfield seemed a poor, soured
old woman very much painted and ridiculous, and she felt sorry for
unlovely old age and ill-temper.

Meanwhile, Lady Bracondale was being favorably impressed. She was a most
presentable young person, this wife of the Australian millionaire, she
decided.

Anne took the greatest pains to be charming to Theodora. They were
sitting together on a sofa when the men came into the room.

Hector could keep away no longer. He joined them in their corner, while
his face beamed with joy to see the two people he loved best in the
world apparently getting on so well together.

"What have you been talking about?" he asked.

"Nothing very learned," said Anne. "Only the children. I was telling
Mrs. Brown how Fordy's pony ran away in the park this morning, and how
plucky he had been about it."

"They are rather nice infants," said Hector. "I should like you to see
them," and he looked at Theodora. "Mayn't we have them down, Anne?"

Lady Anningford adored her offspring, and was only too pleased to show
them; but she said:

"Oh, wait a moment, Hector, until some of these people have gone. Lady
Harrowfield hates children, and Fordy made some terrible remarks about
her wig last time."

"I wish he would do it again," said Hector. "She took the skin off every
one the whole way through lunch."

"But Colonel Lowerby told me she was one of the cleverest women in
London!" exclaimed Theodora; "and surely it is not very clever just to
be bitter and spiteful!"

"Yes, she is clever," said Anne, with a peculiar smile, "and we are all
rather under her thumb."

"It is perfectly ridiculous how you pander to her!" Hector said,
impatiently. "I should never allow my wife to have anything but a
distant acquaintance with her if I were married," and he glanced at
Theodora.

Lady Anningford's duties as hostess took her away from them then, and he
sat down on the sofa in her place.

"Oh, how I hate all this!" he said. "How different it is to Paris! It
grates and jars and brings out the worst in one. These odious women and
their little, narrow ways! You wil