ger. Pride prompted her to hardihood, and when she had well looked
upon Mrs. Liversedge's face a soothing confidence came to the support
of desperation. She saw the frank fairness of Denzil's lineaments
softened with the kindest of female smiles; a gaze keen indeed, but
ingenuous as that of a child; an expression impossible to be
interpreted save as that of heartfelt welcome, absolutely unsuspecting,
touched even with admiring homage.

They kissed each other, and Lilian's face glowed. After that, she could
turn almost joyously for Mr. Liversedge's hearty hand-shake.

"You have come like a sort of snow-queen," said Tobias, with unusual
imaginativeness, pointing to the windows. "It must have begun just as
you got here."

Perhaps the chill of her fingers prompted him to this poetical flight.
His wife, who had noticed the same thing, added, with practical fervour:

"I only hope the house is thoroughly dry. We have had great fires
everywhere for more than a fortnight. As for the snow and frost, you
are pretty well used to that, no doubt."

Painfully on the alert, Lilian of course understood this allusion to
the Northern land she was supposed to have quitted recently.

"Even at Stockholm," she replied, with a smile, "there is summer, you
know."

"And in Russia, too, I have heard," laughed Mr. Liversedge. "But one
doesn't put much faith in such reports. Denzil tries to persuade us now
and then that the North Cape has quite a balmy atmosphere, especially
from December to March. He is quite safe. We sha'n't go to test his
statements."

Instead of a time of misery, this first half-hour proved so pleasant
that Lilian all but forgot the shadow standing behind her. When tea was
brought in, she felt none of the nervousness which had seemed to her
inevitable amid such luxurious appliances. These relatives of Denzil's,
henceforth her own, were people such as she had not dared to picture
them--so unaffected, genial, easy to talk with; nor did she suffer from
a necessity of uttering direct falsehoods; conversation dealt with the
present and the future--partly, no doubt, owing to Quarrier's
initiative. Mr. Liversedge made a report of local affairs as they
concerned the political outlook; he saw every reason for hope.

"Welwyn-Baker," he said, "is quite set up again, and I am told he has
no inclination to retire in favour of his son, or any one else. An
obstinate old fellow--and may his obstinacy increase! The Tories are
beginni