but not so quickly as to escape Captain
Winstanley's observation.

"If you'll excuse me, mamma. I'll run and dress for dinner," she said,
"unless there is anything I can do for you. Your rooms are quite ready."

"I'm glad of that," replied Mrs. Winstanley fretfully; "for really
after our reception at the railway-station, I expected to find
everything at sixes and sevens."

"Dear mamma, you must know that was quite an accident."

"An accident very likely to occur when a young lady indulges in
tete-a-tete forest rambles with an old friend, instead of waiting at
home for her mother's letters and telegrams," remarked Captain
Winstanley, caressing his neat whisker with his irreproachable hand.

"What do you mean?" said Vixen, turning sharply upon him. "I went out
alone this morning. Mr. Vawdrey and I met at the kennels by accident."

"A chapter of accidents," sneered the Captain. "I have no objection to
make, Miss Tempest, if your mamma has none. But I am rather sorry for
the young lady Mr. Vawdrey is going to marry."

"Mr. Vawdrey was my father's friend, and will never cease to be mine,"
said Vixen, with flashing eyes. "There can be nothing offensive to Lady
Mabel Ashbourne in our friendship."

She was gone before her stepfather could reply, or her mother reprove
her want of respect for that new relative.

"I suppose I had better go and dress too," said Mrs. Winstanley, "and
in the evening we can talk about our first dinner-party. I daresay we
shall have a great many people calling to-morrow afternoon. It will be
rather trying. There is such a painful feeling in being a bride and not
a bride, as it were. People's congratulations hardly sound hearty."

"I daresay they have rather a vapid flavour, like a warmed-up dinner,"
said the Captain. "That is the result of living in a neighbourhood
where your first husband was known and popular. If we went among
strangers, their congratulations would be a great deal heartier. But I
hope you don't begin to repent already, my dear Pamela."

"Conrad! How can you imagine such a thing?--after your delicate
attentions, your devoted care of me during our tour. What dress shall I
wear this evening? Do you like me best in blue or amber?"

"To my eye all colours suit you. But I think a woman"--he was going to
say "of your age," but checked himself and substituted--"in the
maturity of her beauty looks best in velvet, or some rich and heavy
material that falls in massive folds, like