net and a corporeal existence.

However it was very nice to leave cards of calling on Lady
Towcester--even though she was out of town on account of
air-raids--and on others, inscribed: "Lady Rossiter, Colonel Sir
Michael Rossiter, Sir Michael and Lady Rossiter;" and to see printed
foolscap envelopes for Michael arrive from the War Office and lie on
the hall table, addressed: Colonel Sir Michael Rossiter K.C.B. etc.,
etc., etc., etc.

And later on, in January or February, for some very good reason, Sir
Michael and Lady Rossiter were received in audience by the King and
Queen at Buckingham Palace. The King had already watched Sir Michael
at work in his laboratory just behind the French front; so they two,
as Linda timidly glanced at them, had no lack of subjects for
conversation. But the Queen! Linda had thought she could _never_
have talked to a Queen without swooning, and indeed had arrived
primed with much sal volatile. Yet there, as in some realistic
dream, she was led on to talk about her war charities and Sir
Michael's experiments without trembling, and found herself able to
listen with intelligence to the Queen's practical suggestions about
war work and the application of relief funds in crowded districts.
"_We actually compared notes!_" said a flushed and triumphant Linda
to her Michael, as they drove away through the blue twilight of St.
James's Park.

And so far from being puffed up by this, people said they had always
thought Lady Rossiter was kind, but they really before had never
imagined there was so much in her. She was even allowed to preside
as Vice President, in the absence of Lady Towcester; and got through
it quite creditably--kind hearts being more than coronets--and made
a little speech to which cook and Nance Adams called out "Hear,
_Hear_!" and roused quite a hearty response.

Of course it was an awful wrench when Michael had to return to
France. But he would be back in the autumn, and meantime she must
remember she was a soldier's wife. So the summer was got through
with cheerfulness, especially as she was now treated with much more
regard in the different committees whereof she was Vice President.
On these committees she met Honoria Armstrong, and the longing to
renew the old friendship and talk about Michael's superlative
qualities to one who had long known them, took her over to
Kensington Square, impulsively. Honoria perceived the need
instinctively. The coldness engendered by Linda's