Lesley married she would ask Mary Kingston to go with
her to her new home.

Kingston had made up her mind about the man that Lesley was to marry.
She had seen him come and go: she had seen him look at her dear Miss
Lesley with ardently admiring eyes: she believed that he would be a true
and faithful husband to her. But she knew more than Lesley was aware of
yet.

Lesley went slowly down into the drawing-room. She remembered Captain
Duchesne very well, and she was glad to think of seeing him again. And
yet there was an indefinable shrinking--she did not know how or why.
Harry Duchesne was connected with her old life--with the Paris lights,
the Paris drawing-rooms, the stately old grandfather, the graceful
mother--the whole assembly of things that seemed so far away. She did
not understand her whole feeling, but it suddenly appeared to her as if
Captain Duchesne's visit was a mistake, and she had better get it over
as soon as possible.

It must be confessed that this sensation vanished as soon as she came
into the actual presence of Captain Duchesne. The young man, with his
grave, handsome features, his drooping, black moustache, his soldierly
bearing, had an attraction for her after all. He reminded her of the
mother whom she loved.

It was not very easy to get into conversation with him at first. He
seemed as ill at ease as Lesley herself had been. But when she fell to
questioning him about Lady Alice, his tongue became unloosed.

"She does not know exactly what to do. She talks of taking a house in
London--if you would like it."

"Would mamma care to live in London?"

"Not for her own sake: for yours."

"But I--I do not think I like London so much," said Lesley, with a swift
blush and some hesitation. Captain Duchesne looked at her searchingly.

"Indeed? I understood that you had become much attached to it. I am sure
Lady Alice thinks so."

"I do love it--yes, but it is on account of the people who live in
London," said Lesley.

"Ah, you have made friends?"

"There is my father, you know."

"Yes." And something in his tone made Lesley change the subject
hurriedly. Captain Duchesne would never have been so ill-bred as to
speak disparagingly of a lady's father to her face; and yet she felt
that there was something disparaging in the tone.

"Have you seen the present Lord Courtleroy?" she asked.

"Yes; I have met him once or twice. He is somewhat stiff and rigid in
appearance, but he is very courteous