at home this
evening," he said. "I am glad she has so decided it."

"Her senses have come to her, have they?" remarked Lady Verner.

He made no reply. He never did make a reply to any shaft lanced by Lady
Verner at his wife. My lady was sparing of her shafts in a general way
since they had resided with her, but she did throw one out now and then.

"You will go with me then, Lionel?"

He shook his head, telling his mother she must excuse him: it was not
his intention to be present.

Sibylla continued in a remarkably quiet, not to say affable, temper all
day. Lionel was out, but returned home to dinner. By and by Lady Verner
and Decima retired to dress. Lucy went up with Decima, and Lionel
remained with his wife.

When they came down, Sibylla was asleep on the sofa. Lady Verner wore
some of the magnificent and yet quiet attire that had pertained to her
gayer days; Decima was in white. Lionel put on his hat, and went out to
hand them into the carriage that waited. As he did so, the aspect of his
sister's face struck him.

"What is the matter, Decima?" he exclaimed. "You are looking perfectly
white."

She only smiled in answer; a forced, unnatural smile, as it appeared to
Lionel. But he said no more; he thought the white hue might be only the
shade cast by the moonlight. Lady Verner looked from the carriage to ask
a question.

"Is Jan really going, do you know, Lionel? Lucy says she thinks he is. I
do hope and trust that he will be attired like a Christian, if he is
absurd enough to appear."

"I think I'll go and see," answered Lionel, a smile crossing his face.
"Take care, Catherine!"

Old Catherine, who had come out with shawls, was dangerously near the
wheels--and the horses were on the point of starting. She stepped back,
and the carriage drove on.

The bustle had aroused Sibylla. She rose to look from the window; saw
the carriage depart, saw Catherine come in, saw Lionel walk away towards
Deerham. It was all clear in the moonlight. Lucy Tempest was looking
from the other window.

"What a lovely night it is!" Lucy exclaimed. "I should not mind a drive
of ten miles, such a night as this."

"And yet they choose to say that going out would hurt me!" spoke Sibylla
in a resentful tone. "They do it on purpose to vex me."

Lucy chose to ignore the subject; it was not her business to enter into
it one way or the other. She felt that Mrs. Verner had done perfectly
right in remaining at home; that her strength