for them to join them.

'My dearest boy, everyone has gone!' exclaimed Mrs. Blake, in a tone of
dismay. 'The tennis-lawn is empty!'

'What does that matter?' replied Audrey, hastening up to her with a
heightened colour, as she noticed a quick, observant look on Michael's
part. 'We have no rule for our Mondays; people come when they like, and
stay as long as they like.'

'But, still, to be the last to go, and this my first visit to Woodcote!'
rejoined Mrs. Blake uneasily. 'Cyril, you ought to have taken me away
long ago.'

'We will make our adieux now,' he returned carelessly, and not at all
affected by his mother's discomposure. 'Come, mother, I see Mrs. Ross
standing in the drawing-room window; she is evidently waiting for us.'
And Cyril drew his mother's hand through his arm.

Audrey and Michael followed them to the gate. Mrs. Blake kissed Audrey
with some effusion. Audrey, who, in spite of her large heart and wide
sympathies, was not a demonstrative person, would willingly have
dispensed with this little attention before the gentlemen. Mrs. Blake
had never offered to embrace her before. She had an idea, too, that
Cyril was not quite pleased.

'Come, come, mother,' he said impatiently, 'we are detaining Miss Ross;'
and he hurried her away.

Audrey would have returned to the house at once, but Michael asked her
to take another turn in the shrubbery.

'For I have not seen you for a whole week,' he grumbled; 'and it is
hardly possible to get a word with you now.'

'Well, you have me now,' she returned with assumed gaiety; but all the
time she wanted to be alone and think what Mr. Blake's parting look
meant. 'It was so--so----' Audrey could not quite find the word. 'And
now, Michael, I am ready.' Audrey was going to say, 'I am ready to hear
your opinion of Mrs. Blake;' but just at that moment she saw her father
coming to meet them.

Two is company, but three is none, as both Michael and Audrey felt at
that moment. Dr. Ross, on the contrary, joined them with the air of a
man who knows himself to be an acquisition. He tucked his daughter's
hand under his arm, and began questioning Michael about his week in
town.

As it happened, Michael had seen and done a good deal, and Audrey was
soon interested in what he had to tell them. She knew all Michael's
friends by name, and in this way could claim acquaintance with a large
circle. She was soon busily questioning him in her turn. Had he seen
that pretty little Mrs