fore the
first guest arrived. Mrs. Blake came early; her son was still engaged
with his scholastic duties, and would make his appearance later; but he
had not allowed her to wait for him. Audrey saw her coming through the
gate, and went at once to meet her.

'Well, Miss Ross, I am making my debut,' she said gaily; 'have I come
too early? Do tell me which is the schoolroom window; I want to know
where my boy sits; he said he should look out for me.'

Audrey suggested rather gravely that they should walk along the terrace:
her mother was on the lawn with Mrs. Charrington. She thought Mrs. Blake
looked exceedingly nice in her thin black dress and little close bonnet;
nothing could be simpler, and perhaps nothing would have suited her
half so well. Audrey felt sure that everyone would admire her; and she
was right. Mrs. Charrington fell in love with her at first sight, and to
Audrey's great amusement her father paid her the most marked attention.

'My dear, do tell me who that lady in black is,' inquired Gertrude
Fortescue, catching hold of Audrey's arm; 'she is perfectly lovely. What
magnificent hair she has, and what a sweet smile! Papa is talking to her
now, and Mrs. Charrington is on her other side.'

'Oh, that is Mrs. Blake--you know her son, Gertrude.'

'Mr. Blake's mother! why, she looks quite young enough to be his sister.
I wish you would introduce me, Audrey; I have quite lost my heart to
her.'

'I have brought you another admirer, Mrs. Blake,' observed Audrey
mischievously, while Gertrude Fortescue turned red and looked foolish.
Mrs. Blake received the young lady with one of her charming smiles.

'Everyone is so kind,' she murmured; 'I am having such a happy
afternoon, Miss Ross. I won't tell you what I think of Dr. Ross--I
positively dare not; and Mrs. Charrington, too, has been as nice as
possible.'

'And now Gertrude means to be nice, too,' returned Audrey brightly.
'Good-bye for the present; I have to play with Mr. Blake, and he is
waiting for me;' and she hurried away.

What a successful afternoon it was! Mrs. Blake was certainly making her
mark among the Rutherford people; no one in their senses could have
found fault with her manners. She was perfectly good-humoured and at her
ease; she had a pleasant word and smile for everybody.

'One would have imagined that all these strangers would have made her
nervous,' thought Audrey; but it needed a close observer to detect any
mark of uneasiness in Mr