r eyes
were filled with wonder at the blaze of light and colour beyond--the
draperies of flags, and masses of chandeliers--and she said, under her
breath, 'Oh, mamma, isn't it beautiful!' The next thing she heard was
'Nan, dear, how well you are looking! What beautiful forget-me-nots!'
and in a startled way she found that she was shaking hands with Lady
Stratherne, whose kind eyes were regarding her with a momentary
approval. Instinctively, however, she knew from the way that her
hostess's eyes had turned to the next comers--there were far too many
loiterers about this landing, and Lady Stratherne had enough to do to
prevent a dead block on the stairs--that she need not stay to speak; so
she followed her mother and sisters into the large, brilliantly-lit
room. Oh, how glad she was that it was crammed with this dense
busily-occupied crowd! She felt quite safe; she felt happy; she was
pleased that those few forget-me-nots looked nice. And there was no
dancing at all. 'Oh, mamma, tell me who all the people are,' she said.
She began to consider herself quite at home in the middle of such a
crowd of strangers; she had only to be delighted with the blaze of
colour, the brilliant costumes, the scent of flowers, the wonders of
diamonds.

Momentarily her great good fortune increased. Friends of Lady
Beresford began to come round her; and they made a sort of circle, as
it were; and Nan found she could keep herself just a little bit outside
of it, seeing everything, herself unseen. Her cup of happiness was
full. She had passed the ordeal unscathed. Why, it was nothing! All
the people were engaged with themselves; there was not a sound of
music; nothing but a hum of talking, and always that bewildering glow
of light and colour, and here and there a figure and face suddenly
revealing to her somebody she recognised from photographs and portraits
in the illustrated papers. She was becoming quite lost to herself.
She could have stood there for ever. She was not thinking of Nan
Beresford at all when----

When suddenly there was a long low growl from a violoncello. Her heart
sank.

Almost at the same moment she saw another little group--of elderly men,
mostly--open out at one corner of the room near her; and the next thing
she knew was that Sir George's keen eyes had caught sight of her. He
was by her side in a second.

'What,' said he, 'standing all alone? Why, where's Charley? What's
Charley about? Lady Beresfo