know what it
is you are treating so lightly."

"I--treat any one lightly that you care for, Tom! Oh, no; I was only
thinking. I thought she would come to see you, not a number of strange
people----"

"And you would not mind, Lucy?"

"Mind?" Lucy lifted her innocent eyes upon him with the greatest
surprise. "To be sure it is most nice of all when there is nobody with
us," she said--as if that had been what he meant. Enlightenment on this
subject had not entered her mind. She did not understand him; nor did he
understand her. He gave her a sort of friendly hug as he passed, still
with that laugh in which there was no doubt a great perception of
something comic, yet--an enlightened observer might have thought--a
little uneasiness, a tremor which was almost agitation too. Lucy too had
a perception of something a little out of the way which she did not
understand, but she offered to herself no explanation of it. She said to
herself, when he was gone, "I wonder if I shall like her?" and she did
not make herself any reply. She had been in society, and held her little
place with a simple composure which was natural to her, whoever might
come in her way. If she was indeed a little frightened of the great
ladies, that was only at the first moment before she became used to
them; and afterwards all had gone well--but there was something in the
suggestion of a foreign great lady, who perhaps might not speak English,
and who would be used to very different "ways," which alarmed her a
little; and then it occurred to her with some disappointment that this
would be the time of Jock's holidays, and that it would disappoint him
sadly to find her in the midst of a crowd of visitors. She said to
herself, however, quickly, that it was not to be expected that
everything should always go exactly as one wished it, and that no doubt
the Countess of ---- what was it she was the Countess of?--would be very
nice, and everything go well; and so Lady Randolph went away to her
baby and her household business, and put it aside for the moment. She
found other things far more important to occupy her, however, before
Christmas came.

For that winter was very severe and cold, and there was a great deal of
sickness in the neighbourhood. Measles and colds and feverish attacks
were prevalent in the village, and there were heartrending "cases," in
which young Lady Randolph at the Hall took so close an interest that her
whole life was disturbed by them. On