"And if I were you I would be thankful for it," she said, warmly. "From
our point of view, at any rate, there is nothing so becoming to a man as
the fact that he is a worker. Sport is an excellent thing, but I detest
young men who do nothing else but shoot and hunt and loaf about. It
seems to me to destroy character where work creates it. All the same, I
hope you will find an opportunity to come to Enton and say good-bye to
us."

Brooks was suddenly conscious that it would be no pleasant thing to say
good-bye to Lady Sybil. He had never known any one like her, so
perfectly frank and girlish, and yet with character enough underneath
in her rare moments of seriousness. More than ever he was struck with
the wonderful likeness between mother and daughter.

"I will come at any time I am asked," he answered, quietly, "but I am
sorry that you are going."

They had finished supper, and had drawn their chairs around the fire.
Arranmore was smoking a cigarette, and Brooks took one from his case.
The carriage was ordered in a quarter of an hour. Brooks found that he
and Sybil were a little apart from the others.

"Do you know, I am sorry too," she declared. "Of course it has been
much quieter at Enton than most of the houses we go to, and we only came
at first, I think, because many years ago my mother and Lord Arranmore
were great friends, and she fancied that he was shutting himself up
too much. But I have enjoyed it very much indeed."

He looked at her curiously. He was trying to appreciate what a life of
refined pleasure which she must live would really be like--how
satisfying--whether its limitations ever asserted themselves. Sybil was
a more than ordinarily pretty girl, but her face was as smooth as a
child's. The Joie de vivre seemed to be always in her eyes. Yet there
were times, as he knew, when she was capable of seriousness.

"I am glad," he said, "Lord Arranmore will miss you."

She laughed at him, her eyebrows raised, a challenge in her bright eyes.

"May I add that I also shall?" he whispered.

"You may," she answered. "In fact, I expected it. I am not sure that I
did not ask for it. And that reminds me. I want you to do me a favour,
if you will."

"Anything I can do for you," he answered, "you know will give me
pleasure."

She laughed softly.

"It is wonderful how you have improved," she murmured. "I want you to
go and see Lord Arranmore as often as you can. We are both very fond of
him really, mamma