banke has just been confessing to us that she never plays
cards," he said smoothly. "If you will go on with your game, Lady
Frances, I shall do my best to amuse her."

He turned his unemotional glance from one to the other.

The surprise that his announcement had brought to their hostess's face,
changed instantly to an expression of hospitality.

"No!--no, indeed!" she cried. "I would infinitely prefer to talk to
Mrs. Milbanke. Come!" she added, smiling at Clodagh. "Come and let me
introduce you to these bridge-playing people. Perhaps they will convert
you."

She laughed, and followed by the four, moved across the salon.

At their approach, the three at the card-table--two women and a
man--turned to look at them, and the latter, a square-built, thick-set
youth, wearing a pince-nez and possessing a quick, inquisitive manner,
rose to his feet.

"Mrs. Milbanke!" said Lady Frances, "this is Mr. Victor Luard! Miss
Luard! Mrs. Bathurst!"

Luard bowed; and the two women looked at Clodagh, each acknowledging
the introduction after her own fashion. Miss Luard gave a quick,
friendly nod, Mrs. Bathurst a slow and graceful inclination of the
head, accompanied by a faint, insincere smile.

"Are you a bridge player?" she asked, raising a pair of pretty, languid
brown eyes to Clodagh's. "I wish so much you would take my place. I've
been having the most appalling luck."

Her glance wandered on to Serracauld, Barnard, and Deerehurst.

"Ah, here is Lord Deerehurst!" she cried in a suddenly animated voice.
"Lord Deerehurst, do come and tell me what you would have done with a
hand like this!"

She picked up her scattered cards, and began to sort them; then, with a
graceful movement, she drew her skirts aside, and indicated a vacant
chair that stood beside her own.

Lord Deerehurst hesitated, lifted his eyeglass, and scrutinised her
pretty pink and white face, then languidly dropped into the empty
chair. At the same moment Clodagh, Serracauld, Luard, and his sister
fell into conversation; and Lady Frances and Barnard moved away
together towards one of the open windows.

For a quarter of an hour the formation of the party remained unchanged;
then a slight incident caused a distraction in the assembly.
Clodagh--who had shaken off her first shyness, and was beginning to
enjoy the conversation of her new acquaintance--heard the curtain at
the arched entrance drawn back; and, looking round, was surprised to
see two servants ente