the Contessa naturally knows a good many languages," she
said, "and would be little at a loss wherever she went. You have come
last from Florence, Rome, or perhaps some other capital. The Contessa
has friends everywhere--still."

This last little syllable caught the Contessa's fine ear, though it was
not directed to her. She gave the Dowager a very gracious smile across
the table. "Still," she repeated, "everywhere! People are so kind. My
invitations are so many it was with difficulty I managed to accept that
of our excellent Tom. But I had made up my mind not to disappoint him
nor his dear young wife. I was not prepared for the pleasure of finding
your ladyship here."

"How fortunate that you were able to manage it! I have been
complimenting Mademoiselle on her English. She does credit to her
instructors. Tell me, is this your first visit," Lady Randolph said,
turning to the young lady "to England?" Even in this innocent question
there was more than met the eye. The girl, however, had begun to make a
remark to Lucy, and thus evaded it in the most easy way.

"I saw you come home soon after our arrival," she said. "I was at my
window. You came with--Monsieur----" She cast a glance at Jock as she
spoke, with a smile in her eyes that was not without its effect. There
was a little provocation in it, which an older man would have known how
to answer. But Jock, in the awkwardness of his youth, blushed fiery red,
and turned away his gaze, which, indeed, had been dwelling upon her with
an absorbed but shy attention. The boy had never seen anything at all
like her before.

"My brother," said Lucy, and the young lady gave him a beaming smile and
bow which made Jock's head turn round. He did not know how to reply to
it, whether he ought not to get up to answer her salutation; and being
so uncertain and abashed and excited, he did nothing at all, but gazed
again with an absorption which was not uncomplimentary. She gave him
from time to time a little encouraging glance.

"That was what I thought. You drive out always at that early hour in
England, and always with--Monsieur?" The girl laughed now, looking at
him, so that Jock longed to say something witty and clever. Oh, why was
not MTutor here? He would have known the sort of thing to say.

"Oh not, not always with Jock," Lucy answered, with honest
matter-of-fact. "He is still at school, and we have him only for the
holidays. Perhaps you don't know what that means?"

"The