me, but to me it happens to be no trifle. Good
morning."

Lord Maythorne turned away, raising his hat to Joyce, and saying:

"_Adieu, mia bella! adieu!_ but _au revoir! au revoir!_"

Mrs. Falconer pressed Joyce, trembling and frightened to her side,
saying, in a low voice:

"What does he mean? Who is he?"

"He means that Melville has lost money to him by gambling; I think he is
Lord Maythorne."

"What is to be done? What is to be done, Joyce?" Mrs. Falconer said.

"We must consult Mr. Paget, dear mother. Oh! how glad I was when you
came; he is such a bold, bad man."

"Poor child! Poor Sunshine!" Mrs. Falconer said; "I have been very much
to blame to leave you all the burden; I will _try_ to do differently
now. Kiss me, Joyce."

"And here is a carriage coming up the road," was Piers' next
exclamation; "a carriage full of people."

"Oh! there is an old gentleman in a wig and shovel hat, and--"

"It must be the Bishop," exclaimed Mrs. Falconer; "what shall we do?"

It was too late for Mrs. Falconer to retreat, for the carriage had
driven up before the door, and the footman had the handle of the bell in
his hand.

"The Lord Bishop," he said, addressing Piers, "Mrs. Arundel, and Miss
Anson. Is Mrs. Falconer at home?"

And now Joyce advanced out of the shadow, and stood under the roses by
the porch.

The late encounter with Lord Maythorne had heightened her colour, and
tears were still upon her long lashes--the tears of vexation she had
tried so hard to keep back.

One glance, and Mrs. Arundel felt sure she saw before her her son's
"Joyce, Sunshine, Birdie! for they call her all those names," he had
said.

She looked just now, with her head drooping, and the traces of tears on
her cheeks, very like one of the China roses above her, hanging its head
after a shower.

Gratian also examined her critically.

She is _beautiful_, she thought, but she has no style; while the Bishop
leaned forward, and asked:

"May we alight?"

"Yes, my lord," Joyce said, in a low, gentle voice. "My mother has seen
no visitors for a long time; but she will be pleased to see you, and--"

"Mrs. Arundel, I hope, also, and Miss Gratian Anson," the Bishop said,
by way of introduction, "Madam," he continued, as he went into the hall,
"Madam, I have heard of your good husband; I had once the pleasure--I
may say the honour--of seeing him at the palace, and I desire to express
to you my condolences. My son," he added, addressing a