ession did not change.

A faintly fretful note crept into Lady Raffold's tone when she spoke
again.

"You're so unreasonable, Priscilla. I really haven't a notion what you
actually want. You might have been a duchess by this time, as all the
world knows, if you had only been reasonable. How is it--why is it--that
you are so hard to please?"

Lady Priscilla raised her eyelids momentarily.

"I don't think you would understand, Charlotte, if I were to tell you,"
she said, in a voice of such deep music that it seemed incapable of
bitterness.

"Some ridiculous sentimentality, no doubt," said Lady Raffold.

"I am sure you would call it so."

A faint flush rose in the girl's dark face. She looked at her stepmother
no longer, but began very quietly and steadily to make the tea.

Lady Raffold waited a few seconds for her confidence, but she waited in
vain. Lady Priscilla had retired completely behind her shield, and it
was quite obvious that she had no intention of exposing herself any
further to stray shots.

Her stepmother was exasperated, but she found it difficult to say
anything more upon the subject in face of this impenetrability. She
could only solace herself with the reflection that the American cousin,
who had become heir to the earldom and estates of Raffold, would almost
certainly take a more common-sense view of the matter, and, if that were
so, a little pressure from the girl's father, whom she idolised, would
probably be sufficient to settle it according to her desires.

It was so plainly Priscilla's duty to marry the young man. The whole
thing seemed to be planned and cut out by Providence. And it was but
natural that Ralph Cochrane should see it in the same light. For it was
understood that he was not rich, and it would be greatly to his interest
to marry Earl Raffold's only surviving child.

So Lady Raffold reasoned to herself as Priscilla poured out the tea in
serious silence, and she gradually soothed her own annoyance by the
process.

"Come," she said at length, breaking a long silence, "I should think
Ralph Cochrane will be in England in ten days at the latest. We must not
be too formal with him as he is a relation. Shall we ask him to luncheon
on the Sunday after next?"

Priscilla did not at once reply. When at length she looked up, it was
with the air of one coming out of a reverie.

"Oh, yes, if you like, Charlotte," she said, in her deep, quiet voice.
"No doubt he will amuse you. I kno