will not worry you now; but
shall you be 'fit' for this function on Sunday?"

"Oh, yes, quite."

"I am obliged to run down to Wales--some matters there want the master's
eye, they tell me--but I shall return Friday or Saturday. By the way, I
wish you would introduce me to this wonderful Angela of Mrs. Needham's."

"Certainly."

On entering the drawing-room, the first forms that met their eyes were
Errington and Miss Bradley; she was sitting in a large crimson velvet
chair, against the back of which Errington was leaning. Angela was
looking up at him with a peculiarly happy, absorbed expression, while
his head was bent towards her.

"She is deucedly handsome," said De Burgh, critically, "and much too
pleasantly engaged to be interrupted. I can wait."

"Yes, I think it would be unkind to break in on such a conversation. Oh,
here is Mrs. Needham! Do you want me very much, Mrs. Needham? because,
if not, I should like to go to bed. I have a tiresome headache."

"Go by all means, my dear; you are looking like a ghost; they are all
talking and amusing each other now, and don't want you or me." "Good
night, then," said Katherine, giving her hand to De Burgh, and she
glided away.

"What a lot she takes out of herself!" said De Burgh, looking after her.

"She does indeed," cried Mrs. Needham; "she is so unselfish. I hate to
see her worried. I wonder if he has proposed?" she thought.

"I think he is pretty far gone. Now pray don't run away just now;
Merrydew is going to give one of his musical sketches, and then I want
to introduce you to Professor Gypsum. He thinks there ought to be a rich
coal seam on your South Wales property; he is a most intelligent,
accomplished man."

"Very well--with pleasure," said De Burgh, complacently.

It was rather a relief to be quite sure that De Burgh was safe out of
the way for a few days. His presence always disturbed her with a mixed
sense of pain and self-reproach. He gave her no opening to warn him off,
yet she felt that he lost no opportunity of pushing his mines up to the
defences; and she liked him--liked him sincerely--always believing there
was much undeveloped goodness under his rough exterior.

Sunday came quickly, for the intervening days had been very fully
occupied, and thus Katherine had been saved from too much thought of the
boys and their possible trials.

It was a soft, lovely spring day. The lilacs and laburnums had put on
their ball-dresses for the season,