de of surprise that I should not know. "His lordship
dines at home this evening with his grace."

I scribbled a note to Lady Merrenden. I would be delighted to see her in
the morning at whatever time suited her. I would not go out at all, and I
thanked her. It was much easier to write sweet things to her than to
Robert.

When I was alone I could not eat. Veronique came in to try and persuade
me. I looked so very pale, she said, she feared I had taken cold. She was
in one of her "old-mother" moods, when she drops the third person
sometimes, and calls me "_mon enfant_."

"Oh, Veronique, I have not got a cold; I am only wildly happy," I said.

"Mademoiselle is doubtless fiancee to Mr. Carruthers. _Oh, mon enfant
adoree_," she cried, "_que je suis contente!_"

"Gracious, no!" I exclaimed. This brought me back to Christopher with a
start. What would he say when he heard?

"No, Veronique, to some one much nicer--Lord Robert Vavasour."

Veronique was frightfully interested. Mr. Carruthers she would have
preferred, to me, she admitted, as being more solid, more "_range_,"
"_plus a la fin de ses betises_," but, no doubt, "milor" was charming too,
and for certain one day mademoiselle would be duchess. In the meanwhile
what kind of coronet would mademoiselle have on her trousseau?

I was obliged to explain that I should not have any, or any trousseau, for
an indefinite time, as nothing was settled yet. This damped her a little.

"_Un frere de duc, et pas de couronne!_" After seven years in England she
was yet unable to understand these strange habitudes, she said.

She insisted upon putting me to bed directly after dinner, "to be prettier
for _milor demain_!" and then when she had tucked me up, and was turning
out the light in the centre of the room, she looked back. "Mademoiselle is
too beautiful like that," she said, as if it slipped from her. "_Mon Dieu!
il ne s'embeterai pas, le monsieur!_"

CLARIDGE'S,

_Monday morning._

I wonder how I lived before I met Robert. I wonder what use were the days.
Oh, and I wonder, I wonder, if the duke continues to be obdurate about me,
if I shall ever have the strength of mind to part from him so as not to
spoil his future.

Such a short time ago--not yet four weeks--since I was still at Branches,
and wondering what made the clock go round, the great, big