he said. "When is it
to be, Dolly?"

"My mother thinks it does not deserve to be called a wedding," said
Dolly, dimpling and growing rosy. "I should not have ventured to ask
your ladyship. But if you are so kind--it is to be on the morning of
the 10th--very early in the morning, for Mr. Shubrick has to set off
that day to rejoin his ship."

"I'll get up by daybreak," said her ladyship, arching her brows, "if it
is necessary. And you will come here from the church and have breakfast
with me, will you? It would be a great pleasure to me."

So it had been arranged; and, as I said, Mrs. Copley had been a good
deal comforted by the means. Lady Brierley's breakfast was beautiful;
she had caused her rooms to be dressed with flowers in Dolly's honour;
the company was small, but the more harmonious; and the presents given
to Dolly were very handsome.

And now there is nothing more to do, but to give two pictures; and even
for them there is hardly room.

The scene of the first, is a house in Harley Street, London. It is an
excellent house, and just new furnished and put in cap-a-pie order from
top to bottom. In the drawing-room a group of people taking a general
survey. One of them a very handsome young man, in unexceptionable
style, waiting upon two ladies; a beauty, and the beauty's mother.
Things in the house meet approval.

"I think it is perfect," said Mrs. Thayer. "Just perfect. The man has
done his work very well." She was referring to the upholsterer, and at
the moment looking at the window curtains.

"Isn't that a lovely tint of French grey?" said Christina, "and the
blue fringe is the right thing for it. I think the folds are a little
too full--but it is a good fault. It is all right, I believe. I do like
a drawing-room with no fault in it, no eye-sore."

"There could hardly be any fault in the work of Hans and Piccalilly,"
remarked St. Leger.

"Oh, I don't know, Lawrence," said the young lady. "Didn't they do the
Fortescues' house? and the drawing-room is in white and gold; very
pretty in itself, but just think how it will set off all those florid
people. A bunch of peonies on a white ground!"

Lawrence laughed. "_You_ can bear anything," he said. "But blue suits
you."

"It's just perfect," Mrs. Thayer repeated. "I see nothing to find fault
with. Yes, Christina can bear anything and wear anything. It saves a
great deal of trouble. When I was a girl I had a different complexion.
I wasn't a peony, but I _w