e had not forgotten the little picture she had caught a glimpse
of in the conservatory, nor had her woman's eyes failed to notice that
Vera's dress was trimmed with peacock's feathers.

Where was Helen? Lady Kynaston said to herself; and why was Maurice
devoting himself to his future sister-in-law instead of to her?

Mrs. Romer, you may be sure, had not been far off. Her sharp eyes had
seen Vera and Maurice disappear together into the conservatory. She could
have told to a second how long they had remained there; and again, when
they came out, she had watched the little family scene that had taken
place at the door. She had seen the look of delighted surprise on Lady
Kynaston's face; she had noted how pleased and how proud of Vera the
brothers had looked, and then how happily Maurice and Vera had gone off
again together.

"What does it mean?" Helen asked herself, bitterly. "Is Sir John a fool
or blind that he does not see what is going on under his nose? She has
got him, and his money, and his place; what does she want with Maurice
too? Why can't she let him alone--she is taking him from me."

She watched them eagerly and feverishly. They stood still for a moment
near her; she could not hear what they said, but she could see the look
in Maurice's eyes as he bent towards his partner.

Can a woman who has known what love is ever be mistaken about that?

Vera, all wondering and puzzled, might be but dimly conscious of the
meaning in the eyes that met hers; her own drooped, half troubled, half
confused, before them. But to Helen, who knew what love's signals were,
there was no mystery whatever in the passion in his down-bent glance.

"He loves her!" she said to herself, whilst a sharp pang, almost of
physical pain, shot through her heart. "She shall never get him!--never!
never! Not though one of us die for it! They are false, both of them. I
swear they shall never be happy together!"

"Why are you not dancing, Mrs. Romer?" said a voice at her elbow.

"I will dance with you, Sir John, if you will ask me," answers Helen,
smiling.

Sir John responds, as in duty bound, by passing his arm around her waist.

"When are you going to be married, Sir John?" she asks him, when the
first pause in the dance gives her the opportunity of speech.

Sir John looks rather confused. "Well, to tell you the truth, I have
not spoken to Vera yet. I have not liked to hurry her--I thought,
perhaps----"

"Why don't you speak to her? A