. Peggy's groan of
despair aroused her mother's attention, she turned and gave an echoing
exclamation.

"Your father! Back after all--and two men with him. Mr Cathcart,
and--yes! Hector Darcy himself. I did not know he had come down. My
dear child, what _shall_ we do?"

But Peggy was speechless, stricken for once beyond power of repartee at
the thought of the predicament which her carelessness had brought about.
Her own humiliation and cook's disgust were as nothing, compared with
the thought of her father's anger at the violation of his hospitable
instincts. She could not retain even the semblance of composure, and
the nervous, incoherent greeting which she accorded to the strangers was
strangely in contrast with her usual self-possession.

Hector Darcy looked down into the flushed little face, and listened to
the faltering words, his own heavy features lighting with pleasure. It
was the first time he had seen Peggy lose her self-possession, and if he
connected the fact with his own sudden appearance, it was no more than
was to be expected from masculine vanity. He told himself that he had
never seen her more dainty and pretty than she looked now, in her white
dress, with the touch of pink, matching the colour on her cheeks, and
Colonel Saville thought the same, and cast a glance of pride upon her as
he cried:

"Back again, you see! I met Cathcart and Hector, as they meant to pay
you a call in any case, I thought I had better bring them home with me
to lunch. I told them I was not expected, but that my clever little
housekeeper would be able to give us a meal. Anything you have, my
dear; but be quick about it! We don't care what we have, but we want it
at once. Waiting is the one thing we cannot stand."

That was the way in which he invariably spoke; but, alas, never were
words more falsely uttered. The "clever little housekeeper" realised
how difficult would be the task of giving satisfaction, and mentally
rent her garments in despair.

"I will do the best I can, but you must allow me a little grace!" she
said, twisting her features into a smile. "Mother and I were going to
have our lunch out here, so it will take some time to have the table
laid. You do not care for a picnic arrangement?"

"No, no, no! Detest out-of-door meals. Nothing but flies and
discomfort," declared the colonel roundly; and Peggy walked away towards
the house, profoundly wishing that she could make her escape altogethe