ith you, Patrick, as long as you can afford this cook,"
Lady Harrowfield said once to him; "but when you begin to economize,
don't trouble to ask me. I hate poor people, when it shows."

A promising son, on the true Fitzgerald lines, was at Oxford now, and
gave many anxious crows'-feet full opportunity of developing round his
mother's faded eyes.

A plain daughter, Barbara, was pushed into corners and left much to
herself. And a brilliant, flashing, up-to-date niece of Lady Ada's took
always the first place.

Mildred was so clever, and her lovers were so well chosen, and so
thoroughly of the right set or of great wealth; while a puny husband was
helped to something in South Africa, when the man in possession was a
Jew--or as agent for tea and jam in the colonies--when he happened to be
only a colossally successful Englishman. And once, during a prominent
politician's reign, poor Willie Verner enjoyed a few months in his own
land as secretary to a newly started Radical club.

This Whitsuntide party was perhaps the smartest of the year.

By Saturday evening over thirty people would be gathered together under
the Beechleigh roof.

Josiah, though exceedingly proud and pleased at the invitation, felt
nervous at the thought of the visit. Not so Mr. Toplington, who,
although he knew he should probably have to blush for his master, and
might get a very secondary place in the "room," still felt he would hold
his own when he could let it be known what magnificent wages he received
from Mr. Brown.

"A long sight more than I'd get out of any lord," he thought. "And money
is money. And all classes feels it."

Theodora, on the contrary, was neither proud nor pleased. She looked
forward to the visit with excitement and dread.

Hector would be there, among all these people whom she did not know. And
her awakened heart had begun to tell her that she loved him wildly, and
to see him could only be alternate mad joy and remorse and anguish.

It was still drizzling on the Saturday afternoon when they arrived. So
tea awaited them in the great saloon which made the centre of the north
side of the house. Several of the rest of the guests had come down in
the same train, but they did not know them, nor did any of them trouble
themselves much to speak to them on the short drive from the station. A
few words, that was all, addressed to Theodora. Josiah was ignored.

Sir Patrick had always been an excellent host. His genial Irish smile