ed me in any way."

Marion wrote very affectionately, and did not in any way allude to
their difference of opinion at their last meeting, but Philippa was a
little distressed at the subject of her letter. She would so
infinitely rather have continued alone with Francis, following their
usual routine until their marriage. She had no doubt that Marion was
right when she said that their coming need not disturb Francis in any
way; but still it would not be quite the same as when they had the
house to themselves. One cannot entirely ignore the presence of one's
host and hostess, however self-effacing they may be, and in a sense it
would be a danger, for now that Francis was able to walk he might at
any time choose to depart from his custom and so come upon them without
warning. However, it was impossible to make any contrary suggestion in
the face of the reason which compelled their change of plans, and it
only remained for her to be constantly on the watch to guard against
any accidental meeting.

The other letter was from her mother, who wrote in her gayest style,
describing all she was doing--the last party--the last fashion in
dress--the craze of the moment--and the new dancer whose fascination
both on and off the stage kept the gossips busy. She ended by asking
Philippa for the address of a certain dressmaker in Paris whom she had
previously employed. She had lost it, and would Philippa be an angel,
underlined, and telegraph it to her at once, underlined, as she wanted
it immediately.

At the bottom of the large sheet of notepaper was a postscript--"I am
longing to know whether you are coming to us for the winter. We should
simply love to have you. Do answer, dearest, because I want to make
all sorts of arrangements and cannot settle anything until I know."

Philippa searched her address-book until she found what she wanted, and
wrote out a telegram and gave it to the butler for dispatch. Then she
returned to the writing-table and took up her pen, but she did not
commence to write.

It was clearly high time that her mother should be told of her
engagement, and of the fact that she was shortly going to be married;
it was unkind to leave her in ignorance, and yet Philippa could not
bring herself to write the news. It was so difficult to explain, and
she knew the volley of questions which would descend upon her. It was
even possible that Lady Lawson would come flying to England in order to
assist at the ce