awfully funny to see your father with him. When he can't make
anything of Foster--he makes no end of a fuss with Foster--but it
doesn't always exactly come off--then he panders to the dog. And, you
know, they take it exactly in the same way! Lion gives him a bored look,
and shakes himself. I think--he--he! his master would like to do the
same."

Leo could not but smile; she had noticed the bored look, and once or
twice it was even a disgusted one--on Paul's face. She would willingly
have caught at the opening, but a moment's hesitation proved fatal. Miss
Merivale struck in again and the opportunity was lost.

On the assembling of the ladies after dinner, Lady Butts fell to Leo's
share. There was a greater lady present, Lady St. Emeraud, once before
mentioned in these pages,--but this august personage, who had, as we
know, kissed Leo on her marriage day, took no notice of Mrs. Stubbs on
the present occasion. It was only at long intervals that she favoured
Boldero Abbey with the light of her countenance, and being a connection
of the Fosters, she had now come to see Maud and do the civil in view of
the forthcoming alliance.

Accordingly her ladyship spread herself upon the principal sofa, with
Sue on one side and Maud on the other,--while the lesser ladyship
subsided upon Leo, and Sybil, in the distance, gathered round her the
rest of the party, and chattered about wedding arrangements and
bridesmaids' dresses.

Leo rather liked Lady Butts, who was uniformly amiable and safely
unintelligent. She could be trusted not to say anything awkward. She
never went below the surface of things; and she had not had Val
Purcell's opportunities of seeing Paul Foster at close quarters. Her
"Your sister's _fiance_ is charming. And how radiant she looks! How
pleased you must all be about it!"--with a few other appropriate
platitudes, dismissed the subject.

Then it was: "You saw my nephew in Town, he told me. Sir Thomas and I
only went up for a few weeks, and had left before you and your sister
arrived. You had a pleasant time, I hope?"

Leo thanked her, and had had a very pleasant time. She had seen Mr.
Butts about, but only to speak to on one occasion.

He had not called?

No, he had not called.

"So rushed he hardly knows what he is doing;" the fond aunt concealed
her disappointment, for her hopes had been renewed by the London visit,
and she knew nothing of a certain affair which was being conducted
independently of her l