olfer had laughed
at her.

"My dear child," she said, "don't expect that you are going to be let
off. Of course, you don't want to be present; neither do I, nor any of
the guests. Everybody hates and loathes dinner parties; but so they do
the influenza and taxes; but most of us have to have the influenza and
pay the taxes, all the same."

"But I haven't a dress," said Nell.

"Then get one made. Send to Cerise and tell her that I say she is to
build you one immediately. Anyway, dress or no dress, you will have to
be present. Why, I shouldn't be at all surprised if my husband refused
to eat his dinner if you were not."

Nell laughed.

"And I know that Lord Wolfer would not notice my presence or my
absence," she said.

Lady Wolfer looked at her rather curiously, certainly not jealously, but
gravely and wistfully.

"My dear Nell, don't you know that he thinks very highly of you, and
that he considers you a marvel of wisdom and cleverness?"

"I should be a marvel of conceit and vanity if I were foolish enough to
believe that you meant some of the pretty things you say to me,"
remarked Nell. "And have I got the complete list of all the guests? I
asked Lord Wolfer, and he said that he should like Lord and Lady
Angleford invited."

Lady Wolfer nodded.

"All right. You will find their address in the _Court Guide_. But I think
he has the gout, and Lady Angleford never goes anywhere without him.
Did--did my husband say anything more about the party--or--anything?" she
asked, bending over the proofs of a speech she was correcting.

"No," said Nell. "Only that he left everything to you, of course."

"Of course," said her ladyship. "He is, as usual, utterly indifferent
about everything concerning me. Don't look so scared, my child," she
added, with a bitter little laugh. "That is the usual attitude of the
husband, especially when he is a public man, and needs a figure to sit
at the head of his table and ride in his carriages instead of a wife!
There! you are going to run away, I see. And you look as if I had talked
high treason. My dear Nell, when you know as much of the world as you
know of your prayer book----Bah! why should I open those innocent eyes
of yours? Run away--and play, I was going to say; but I'm afraid you
don't get much play. Archie was saying only yesterday that we were
working you too hard, and that we ought to be ashamed of ourselves."

Nell flushed rather resentfully.

"I am much obliged to Sir