three motherless girls in
Scotland.

Lady Caroline had as yet not said a single word to Margaret. She had not
even changed her caressing manner for one of displeasure. But she had
kept the girl with her all the morning, and had come out alone only
because Margaret had gone for a drive with two maiden aunts who had
just arrived for a week, and with whom Lady Caroline felt that she would
be absolutely safe. She was glad that she had the afternoon to herself.
It gave her an opportunity of seeing Janetta Colwyn, and of conducting
some business of her own as well. For after seeing Janetta she ordered
the coachman to drive to the office of her husband's local solicitor,
and in this office she remained for more than half an hour. The lawyer,
Mr. Greggs by name, accompanied her with many smiles and bows to the
carriage.

"I am sure we shall be able to do all that your ladyship wishes," he
said, politely. "You shall have information in a day or two." Whereat
Lady Caroline looked satisfied.

It was nearly six o'clock when she reached home, and her absence had
caused some astonishment in the house. Tea had been carried out as usual
to the seats under the cedar-tree on the lawn, and Mr. Adair's two
sisters were being waited on by Margaret, fair and innocent-looking as
usual, in her pretty summer gown. Lady Caroline's white eyelids veiled a
glance of sudden sharpness, as she noticed her daughter's unruffled
serenity. Margaret puzzled her. For the first time in her life she
wondered whether she had been mistaken in the girl, who had always
seemed to reproduce so accurately the impressions that her teachers and
guardians wished to make. Had it been, all seeming? and was Margaret
mentally and morally an ugly duckling, hatched in a hen's nest?

"Dear mamma, how tired you look," said the girl, softly. "Some fresh tea
is coming for you directly. I took Alicia a cup myself, but she would
not let me in. She said she had a headache."

"I dare say," replied Lady Caroline, a little absently. "At least--I
will go to see her presently: she may be better before dinner. I hope
you enjoyed your drive, dear Isabel."

Isabel was the elder of Mr. Adair's two sisters.

"Oh, exceedingly. Margaret did the honors of her County so well: she
seems to know the place by heart."

"She has ridden with Reginald a good deal," said the mother.

Margaret had seated herself beside the younger of the aunts--Miss
Rosamond Adair--and was talking to her in a