ne remained behind to exchange a few confidential words with her
mother, and Audrey stepped out on the terrace. As she did so, she was
surprised to see Michael sitting just outside the drawing-room window.
He had evidently been there some time.

As she sat down beside him she was struck by his air of dejection.

'Oh, Michael, how tired you look! have you had your tea?'

He shook his head.

'Then I will go and fetch you some. Do let me, Michael;' for he had
stopped her.

Michael's hand was very thin and white, but when he cared to put out his
strength it had a grasp like iron; and that firm, soft grip on Audrey's
wrist kept her a prisoner.

'No, don't go; it is so late that I would rather wait for dinner. I
heard the teacups, but I was too lazy to move, and to judge from the
voices, the room must have been pretty full.'

'Yes; the Cardells and the Fortescues and Gage were there.'

'Mr. Blake, too, was he not?'

'Yes, mother asked him--she wanted him to help entertain the Cardells.'

'Yes, I see; and he seems disposed to be friendly--your father has asked
him to dinner to-morrow night to meet the Pagets.'

'Indeed!' and Audrey tried to suppress the pleasure she felt at this
intelligence. 'Have you any objection?' She asked the question in a
joking manner; to her surprise her cousin answered her quite gravely:

'Well, I think it will be a pity to take too much notice of him--he is
young enough to be spoilt. People are glad to have a good-looking fellow
like Blake at their parties; and, then, I hear he has a magnificent
voice. I expect half the young ladies of Rutherford will be in love with
him--Miss Emily Cardell among them; eh, Audrey?'

'I am sure I don't know,' returned Audrey coldly; 'Mr. Blake's good
looks are nothing to me.' She spoke with unusual petulance, as though
something in her cousin's remarks had not pleased her. 'Well, if you
will not have some tea, Michael, I must just go back to mother and
Gage;' and as Michael said no word to detain her, she moved away so
quickly that she did not hear the half-stifled sigh with which Michael
took up his paper again.

CHAPTER XIII

GERALDINE GIVES HER OPINION

'We must be as courteous to a man as we are to a picture, which we
are willing to give the advantage of a good light.'--EMERSON.

'She has a most winning manner and a soft voice.'--_The Abbot_.

Audrey was able to fulfil her promise to Mollie the very next day, when
she