xpress the hope that
she would let him off from carrying that subject further. To Laura and
to Miss Steet he was amiably explanatory, though his explanations were
not quite coherent. He had come back an hour before--he was going to
spend the night--he had driven over from Churton--he was thinking of
taking the last train up to town. Was Laura dining at home? Was any one
coming? He should enjoy a quiet dinner awfully.

'Certainly I'm alone,' said the girl. 'I suppose you know Selina is
away.'

'Oh yes--I know where Selina is!' And Lionel Berrington looked round,
smiling at every one present, including Scratch and Parson. He stopped
while he continued to smile and Laura wondered what he was so much
pleased at. She preferred not to ask--she was sure it was something that
wouldn't give _her_ pleasure; but after waiting a moment her
brother-in-law went on: 'Selina's in Paris, my dear; that's where Selina
is!'

'In Paris?' Laura repeated.

'Yes, in Paris, my dear--God bless her! Where else do you suppose?
Geordie my boy, where should _you_ think your mummy would naturally be?'

'Oh, I don't know,' said Geordie, who had no reply ready that would
express affectingly the desolation of the nursery. 'If I were mummy I'd
travel.'

'Well now that's your mummy's idea--she has gone to travel,' returned
the father. 'Were you ever in Paris, Miss Steet?'

Miss Steet gave a nervous laugh and said No, but she had been to
Boulogne; while to her added confusion Ferdy announced that he knew
where Paris was--it was in America. 'No, it ain't--it's in Scotland!'
cried Geordie; and Laura asked Lionel how he knew--whether his wife had
written to him.

'Written to me? when did she ever write to me? No, I saw a fellow in
town this morning who saw her there--at breakfast yesterday. He came
over last night. That's how I know my wife's in Paris. You can't have
better proof than that!'

'I suppose it's a very pleasant season there,' the governess murmured,
as if from a sense of duty, in a distant, discomfortable tone.

'I daresay it's very pleasant indeed--I daresay it's awfully amusing!'
laughed Mr. Berrington. 'Shouldn't you like to run over with me for a
few days, Laura--just to have a go at the theatres? I don't see why we
should always be moping at home. We'll take Miss Steet and the children
and give mummy a pleasant surprise. Now who do you suppose she was with,
in Paris--who do you suppose she was seen with?'

Laura had turned pal