directly after lunch,"
he said. "If you will write to your Aunts La Sarthe, I do not think
there can be any objection."

"We could take Aphrodite, could we not?" Halcyone asked. "She is very
heavy, I know, but I would carry her, and I do not think I would like to
leave her there in the dark away from me for all that time."

"We would certainly take her," said Cheiron.

Halcyone knew enough about London now to know where Kensington Gardens
were. Whenever she went to see Mr. Carlyon, it was an understood thing
he would bring her safely back, so no one would be sent to fetch her.
Might they not go to Kensington Gardens this morning, she asked. She
remembered to have noticed, when she had driven past with Mr. Anderton,
that there seemed to be big trees there. She wanted to get into some
open space, London was stifling her.

Mr. Carlyon put on his hat, and prepared to accompany her. They drove to
the first gate and got out, neither having spoken a word, as was their
habit when both were thinking.

They wandered in among the trees and found two chairs and sat down.

These were real trees, Halcyone felt. And, although she would have
preferred to be alone to-day without even Cheiron, the great trunks and
vast leafy canopy above them comforted her.

She would not permit herself to think, the beauty of the summer day must
just saturate her, and soothe the cold, sick ache in her heart. And,
presently, when she was strengthened, she would face it all and see what
it could mean, and what would be best to do to bear the blow as a La
Sarthe should, and show nothing of the anguish.

And, as she mused, her eyes absently wandered to a couple under a tree
some twenty yards beyond them. There was something familiar in the
girl's graceful back, and, as she turned her fresh face to look at her
companion, Halcyone saw that it was Cora Lutworth.

Some magnetic spark seemed to connect them, for the pretty American girl
turned completely round in her chair, and catching sight of the two
jumped up and came towards them--with glad, laughing eyes and
out-stretched hands.

"To see you!" she exclaimed. "That is so good! There is no Styx here,
and we must have some fun together!"

She sat down upon a chair which Lord Freynault dragged up for her, and
he himself took another beyond the Professor--so the two girls could
talk together.

"I am going to be married--you know!" Cora announced gayly. "Freynie and
I settled it at a ball last nig