did, like I get on fine days.

Everything they do has a reason, or a moral, in it. This party is because
pheasants have to be killed in November, and certain people have to be
entertained, and their charities can be assisted through them. Oh, if I
had a big house, and were rich, I would have lovely parties, with all
sorts of nice people, because I wanted to give them a good time and laugh
myself. Lady Verningham was talking to me just before tea, when the second
train-load arrived.

I tried to be quite indifferent, but I did feel dreadfully excited when
Lord Robert walked in. Oh, he looked such a beautiful creature, so smart,
and straight, and lithe!

Lady Katherine was frightfully stiff with him; it would have discouraged
most people, but that is the lovely part about Lord Robert, he is always
absolutely _sans gene_!

He saw me at once, of course, and came over as straight as a die the
moment he could.

"How do, Robert?" said Lady Verningham, giving him her fingers in such an
attractive way. "Why are you here, and why is our Campie not? Thereby
hangs some tale, I feel sure."

"Why, yes," said Lord Robert, and he held her hand. Then he looked at me
with his eyebrow up. "But won't you introduce me to Miss Travers? To my
great surprise she seems to have forgotten me."

I laughed, and Lady Verningham introduced us, and he sat down beside us,
and every one began tea.

Lady Verningham had such a look in her eye!

"Robert, tell me about it," she said.

"I hear they have five thousand pheasants to slay," Lord Robert said,
looking at her with his innocent smile.

"Robert, you are lying," she said, and she laughed. She is so pretty when
she laughs; not very young, over thirty I should think, but such a
charm--as different as different can be from the whole Montgomerie family.

I hardly spoke; they continued to tease one another, and Lord Robert ate
most of a plate of bread-and-butter that was near.

"I am damed hungry, Lady Ver!" he said. She smiled at him; she evidently
likes him very much.

"Robert! You must not use such language here!" she said.

"Oh, doesn't he say them often?--those dams!" I burst out, not thinking
for a moment; then I stopped, remembering. She did seem surprised.

"So you have heard them before. I thought you had only just met casually,"
she said, with such a comic look of understanding, but not absolutely
pleased. I stupidly got crimson. It did annoy me, because it shows so
dreadfully