It was the first of October, 1878, a day of fateful memory. Jean
Gloucester stood before the mirror in her bedroom, surveying a new gown
which she was wearing for the first time. The soft grey crepe was
swathed and draped in absolute disregard of the stiff fashion of the
day, two quaint silver buckles of Norman design held the folds together
over the breast, an old lace tucker was tied by a silver cord. Jean
affected delicate shades of grey, and the neutral colour formed a
perfect background for the vivid beauty of her face. She stood back
from the mirror, turning slowly round and round, patting, smoothing,
pressing with careful, deliberate touch, but the light in her eyes spoke
more of expectation than complacence. Jean was not vain. Really
beautiful people are seldom victims of this sin. It is your "rather
pretty" woman who spends her life in the effort to add to her charms.
Jean was accustomed to her beauty, and accepted it--with other such
blessings--as a matter of course, but Robert's fervid admiration was a
factor in her life. This afternoon she was feeling unusually well, and
as usual under these circumstances, was fired by the old girlish spirit
of mischief. Jean was ever a child at heart, loving to play tricks, to
plan surprises, and weave pretty, dramatic _denouements_ out of the
prose of life. A hundred times had she so taken Robert by storm, and
the hundredth time had found him as astounded, as unprepared, as blankly
mystified as the first. After years of matrimony Jean was still an
enigma, concerning which nothing could be foretold but the unexpected;
but the mystery added strength to her charm. Life with Jean might at
times be somewhat difficult and trying, but never by any possibility
could it become dull.

This evening Jean amused herself by planning an effective appearance for
herself in her new gown. Instead of awaiting Robert in the den, she
would stay in her bedroom until he was safely inside the hall, and would
then sweep down the staircase in all her bravery, while he stood gazing
upward with the glow of delight she loved to see shining in his hazel
eyes. Then he would affect to be overcome with surprise, would stagger
against the wall, and lean there helplessly while she stood beneath the
lamp, revolving slowly round and round to show herself from every point
of view. Then they would retreat into the den, and he would kiss her,
and call her his beautiful darling, his bonnie, bonnie