e was your aunt, and welcomes this chance of bringing you
together. For my part I wish she didn't. I have caught a glimpse of Lady
Strangways in church, and she is rather an awe-inspiring person, and I do
not at all relish the idea of being brought face to face with her some
day, and keeping up our little deception."

"Miss Margaret! Miss Margaret!" called a voice at that moment. "Where are
you, if you please, Miss?"

Eleanor started to her feet, and putting her finger to her lips as a sign
to Margaret to keep silence, ran hastily out of the arbour, and along the
path to the foot of the steps.

"Here I am, Mary," she said. "What is it?"

"If you please, Miss," said the voice, as the person to whom it belonged
halted on the lawn at the top of the steps, "Lady Strangways has called,
and the mistress says she will be down in a minute, and will you go into
the drawing-room at once?"

"Very well, Mary, I will come in a moment."

The maid retraced her steps across the lawn, and Eleanor hastened back to
the arbour.

"Do you hear that?" she whispered, with a whimsical smile. "Lady
Strangways has come. Oh, how I wish I could send you in to see her
instead of me! However, I am afraid that that is not possible, though
I think it isn't fair that I should have to face this formidable aunt
instead of you. I have an idea, too, that she won't like me. She looks
too great and stately a lady, if you understand, to take a fancy to a
flippant person like me, and she would have liked you. But, there, it's
no good grumbling at my ill-luck; I must go and face her, I suppose, and
make the best of an awkward situation."

"I should have thought that you would have enjoyed it," Margaret said,
rather wondering at Eleanor's mood.

"I dislike taking any risks that put my singing lessons in jeopardy,"
said Eleanor vehemently; "besides, candidly, I feel that I shall not show
to advantage in the forthcoming interview. It is not often that I feel
shy, but I do feel shy of this aunt of yours. Well, good-bye! Sit quietly
here; you will be quite safe, and I will come back as soon as I can and
tell you all about your aunt."

With a hasty nod of farewell, Eleanor sped along the path and mounted the
steps leading to the lawn. And hardly had she reached it than Margaret
was startled to hear her being addressed, and the first words she
overheard told Margaret that Lady Strangways, instead of waiting for her
niece to come to her in the drawing-room,