I am so glad you have arranged that she should come right on from
Liverpool, instead of staying in town for a night," she said easily.
"It will be much the simpler plan. By the way, what day will we arrange
to go down? You and I, I mean? Diana's big dance is on the fifth.
Suppose we go down a day or two before?"

Clodagh responded instantly.

"Yes," she said--"yes, certainly. But talking of the dance reminds me
of my curiosity. Where _are_ you going to-night?"

This time evasion was impossible. Lady Frances turned to the
dressing-table and picked up a diamond ornament.

"You can fix this in, Rees," she said, "and then go. I am going to the
Tamperleighs'," she added carelessly, without looking at Clodagh.

"The Tamperleighs'?"

"In Grosvenor Place. Dull people."

Clodagh picked up a fan that was lying on a table near her, and
examined it thoughtfully.

"Isn't Lady Tamperleigh an aunt of Sir Walter Gore's?"

"Yes; and old Lord Tamperleigh is a cousin of my mother's--which
connects Walter and me in a roundabout way."

There was a slight silence, while Rees hovered about her mistress with
one or two last attentions and then quietly left the room. As she
closed the door, Clodagh looked up from the fan she had been studying
so attentively.

"Lady Frances," she said quickly, "you know Lady Tamperleigh very
well?"

Lady Frances' eyes became vigilant.

"Yes," she said vaguely--"oh, yes!"

"Then take me with you to her party--as you took me to the Hensleys'
and the Vibrants' last week? I'm wild to go somewhere--to go anywhere
to-night." She paused excitedly; then, as her eyes scanned Lady
Frances's face, her expression fell.

"Of course if there's the least--the very least--difficulty----"

With a swift, tactful movement, Lady Frances came towards her.

"My dear Clodagh! Don't! You _know_ how proud I am of you. My
hesitation was merely----"

"Merely what?"

Lady Frances laid her hand upon Clodagh's shoulder.

"Walter came back from Russia a week ago. He will be there to-night;
and I think--I think"--she seemed to hesitate--"I think that perhaps,
in view of his narrow ideas, it might be pleasanter for you----" She
left the sentence expressively unfinished.

Clodagh rose rather hastily, her face red.

"Of course!" she said--"of course! Sir Walter Gore is the last man in
London I should wish to meet."

Lady Frances said nothing, but moving calmly across the room, took her
cloak from a chair.

"Where