tle unused to such
company, still nothing could be more cordial than Sir Patrick's
treatment of him.

Meanwhile, on their way up to dress, Mildred had gone in to Morella's
room, and the two had agreed that Mrs. Brown should be suppressed.

It was with extra displeasure Miss Winmarleigh had learned of Theodora's
relationship to Sir Patrick, and that after all she could not be called
a common colonial.

There was no question about the Fitzgerald and Borringdon families,
unfortunately, while Morella's grandfather had been merely a coal
merchant.

"I don't think she is so wonderfully pretty, do you, Mildred?" she
said.

But Mildred was a clever woman, and could see with her eyes.

"Yes, I do," she answered. "Don't be such a fool as to delude yourself
about that, Morella. She is perfectly lovely, and she has the most
deevie Paris clothes, and Lord Bracondale is wildly in love with her."

"And apparently Freddy Wensleydown, too," snapped Morella, who was now
boiling with rage.

"Well, she is not likely to enjoy herself here," said Mildred, with her
vicious laugh, which showed all her splendid, sharp teeth, as she went
off to dress, her head full of plans for the interloper's suppression.

First she must have a few words with Barbara. There must be none of her
partisanship. Poor, timid Barbara would not dare to disobey her, she
knew. That settled, she did not fear that she would be able to make
Theodora suffer considerably during the five days she would be at
Beechleigh.

Sir Patrick was busy with some new arrivals who had come while they were
dressing, so not a soul spoke to Theodora or Josiah when they got down
to the great, white drawing-room, from which immensely high mahogany
doors opened into an anteroom hung with priceless tapestry and
containing cabinets of rare china. From thence another set of splendid
carved doors gave access to the dining-room.

Neither Lord Wensleydown or Hector was in the room at first, so there
was no man even to talk to them. Lady Ada had not introduced them to any
one. And there they stood: Josiah ill at ease and uncomfortable, and
Theodora quite apparently unconscious of neglect, while she looked at a
picture.

All the younger women were thinking to themselves: "Who are these
people? We don't want any strangers here--poaching on our preserves. And
what perfect clothes! and what pearls! Why on earth did Ada ask them?"

And soon the party was complete, and Theodora found hersel