he played and others sang, notably Bobby Smart, who was not to
be chained to the side of Mrs. Fox, the latter was left to cultivate the
acquaintance of the shy Apollo, Jack Darling, whom the Brights and Tommy
had hitherto absorbed.

Jack met her ravishing smile with a blush of self-consciousness, fearing
all eyes upon himself as he accepted the seat beside her on a
chesterfield. He was so obviously new to the art of intrigue, so
conspicuously ingenuous, that he had the charm of novelty for her. She
believed that Mrs. Bright was manoeuvring to get him for a son-in-law
and was chafing at Honor's lack of worldly wisdom in dividing her
favours equally between him and Tommy whose prospects in life were less
brilliant. The situation was one entirely after her own heart, to make
or mar with impish deliberation. In spite of his comparatively inferior
social standing and unattractive appearance, Tommy was popular with the
girls for his ready wit. He dared to be unconscious of his disadvantages
and stormed his way into the front rank of drawing-room favourites; but
he was too unimpressionable and discerning to suit Mrs. Fox's taste, so
she left him alone to see what she could make of Jack whose
guilelessness was a strong appeal to women of her type. His development
under her guidance seemed the only excitement life had to offer her in
this rural backwater, and she was not one to miss her opportunities.

"I'd dearly love to act sponsor to a boy like you in the beginning of
his career, Jack," she cried with a tender inflection of the voice. "By
the way, I'm going to call you 'Jack'--may I?"

"Certainly, if you care to," he returned awkwardly.

"Oh, you are priceless! What an opportunity you missed for a pretty
speech!" and she laid her hand caressingly on his for a moment to
emphasise her delight in him.

"Why? what should I have said?" he asked, laughing boyishly, and wincing
under her touch. The suggestion of intimacy in her manner somewhat
embarrassed him.

"I should like to see you a few years hence when your education is
complete," she returned, evading his question teasingly. "But you
mustn't marry, or you will be utterly spoilt."

"There is no immediate prospect of that!" he said laughing and giving
away the fact that he was heart-whole. "But won't you take up the job
tonight and begin instructing me?"

"I am sorely tempted to," she replied, smiling affectionately on him.
"You must really learn your possibilities.