t anything I
wouldn't do for you. He'll never know where I am, no more than if I'd
slipped off to my aunt at Lady Garmoy's. I need never be leaving the
Abbey unless to go to Mass on a Sunday, and he'll never know anything
about that. 'Tis for his sake as much as my own. 'Tisn't right that he
should be making love to a poor girl."

I stooped down and kissed Nora on the cheek. It seemed incredible that
Richard Dawson should have filled Nora's innocent heart with much the
same feeling that I had for Anthony Cardew, but I said nothing. Who is
to answer for such things?

"I will come back with you now and speak to Lady St. Leger," I said.

CHAPTER XXII

THE DINNER-PARTY

The day following that Nora became an inmate of Aghadoe. She had no
relative nearer than an uncle, who had a houseful of children of his
own, so that Nora's absence must be a relief in a manner of speaking;
and my grandmother never refused me anything in reason. Nora was modest
and dainty in her ways, and having been brought up by the nuns she was
an excellent needlewoman, so that she had so much equipment for the post
of my maid.

The day came round on which we were to dine at Damerstown. I had not
meant to tell Nora that we were going there, but she discovered it from
something my grandmother said when she came to my room, and I noticed
that she sat with tightly compressed lips over her sewing that
afternoon.

She had put out my dress for me by my orders. I had chosen the least
becoming garment in my wardrobe, a black grenadine, very simply made,
which belonged to my schoolgirl days. It was high to the neck and had
elbow sleeves, and the cut was old-fashioned. I wished to look my worst
at Damerstown, although I was forced to go there by my grandfather's
will.

It was nearly time for me to dress when my grandmother came into the
little room, where I was sitting watching Nora as she sewed a little
tucker of old lace into the neck of the garment.

"What are you going to wear, Bawn?" she asked.

"This." I indicated the grenadine.

"It will never do, Bawn," my grandmother said, shaking her head. "We are
to do honour to our hosts. I am wearing my moire and my diamonds. If you
were to appear in this your grandfather would send you back to change."

"I should have thought it good enough for the Dawsons," I said, with a
little heat; and then I remembered Nora's presence, and also that my
grandparents were frightened of the Dawsons and anxiou