e
and began to get to business. "Lesbia! You can't lift Bunty from the
bath in your best velvet dress! She's splashing you all over. Go and
change it at once! Stephen, come here!" (as her son and heir took the
opportunity to escape) "Julie, you mustn't duck Bunty! I don't want her
hair wetted to-night. There's the first gong. Supper will have to wait.
You ought, all of you, to have been in bed half an hour ago."

Paul, good natured easy-going Paul, was seldom cross to his young
stepsister, but that night, with supper late, the souffle spoilt through
long waiting, and his wife in the throes of a violent headache, he lost
his temper and gave Lesbia a thorough scolding.

"I told you to stay in and help Minnie," he stormed. "It's a queer thing
to have three women in the house and nobody to lend a hand to put those
youngsters to bed. You're not worth your salt! And I won't have you
accepting invitations on your own and just walking off. Understand that
once and for all. I'm thoroughly disgusted with you."

Lesbia lay awake in bed for hours that night crying. It was the first
time Paul had ever spoken so sharply to her. Several things hurt
particularly. He had alluded to "three women in the house".

Though she would soon be sixteen Lesbia did not care to be called "a
woman", and particularly to be classed with Mrs. Carter and Nurse.
Moreover he had said she was not worth her salt. Did he expect her to
render service to the household? All Marion's insinuations came sweeping
into her memory. Yes, undoubtedly she was slighted at home and expected
to do things which other girls were not. Paul of course loved Minnie and
his own children far better than herself. What had Calla hinted one day
about taking a back seat? The girls at school knew her position and were
sorry for her.

"It's horrible to be only 'a step'," sobbed Lesbia. "Perhaps Paul and
Minnie would be happier without me. I don't really belong to them.
Marion said so. Oh dear! I wonder if there's anybody in the wide world
who'd like to have me? I don't believe I'm wanted here in this house!"

CHAPTER III

Lotus Blooms

Paul's bursts of temper were always short-lived and soon repented, and
Minnie had a remarkably gentle disposition. After Friday night's storm
they were both particularly sweet to Lesbia. They even suggested that
she might ask a few of her school chums to tea and included Marion
Morwood in the invitation.

"We want you to have plenty of y