her, she thinks, but she sometimes wishes he
would talk to her about madame.

They are quite enthusiastic at Mrs. Grandon's return, but her distance
and elegance chill Violet to the very soul. She has no part in the
general cordiality, and Floyd finds himself helpless to mend matters.
For the first time since he has come home he regrets that this great
house is his portion, and that half, at least, had not gone to the
rest. He has a desperate desire to take Violet and live in the cottage,
as Cecil has proposed.

CHAPTER XV.

"The branches cross above our eyes,
The skies are in a net."

The plans have been made without taking Violet into the slightest
account, or Floyd, as master of the house. Laura and madame are to come
up for a week, and there must be a dinner and an evening party. Laura
was compelled to have such a quiet wedding, and it was really shameful
to make so much use of madame and offer her so little in return.

"I really don't know what to do about the rooms," says Mrs. Grandon.
"It was absurd in Floyd to take that elegant spare chamber when he had
two rooms of his own and all the tower; and if one should say a word,
my lady would be in high dudgeon, no doubt."

"Mother," begins Gertrude in a calm tone,--and it seems as if Gertrude
had lost her sickly whine in this bracing autumn weather,--"you do
Violet great injustice. She will give up the room with pleasure the
moment she is asked."

"Oh, I dare say!" with a touch of scorn, meant to wither both speaker
and person spoken of, "if I were to go down on my knees, which I never
have done yet."

"You forget the house is Floyd's."

"No, I do _not_; I am not allowed to," with stately emphasis. "When
Floyd was down to the city he was the tenderest of sons to me. She is
a sly, treacherous little thing; you can see it in her face. I never
would trust a person with red hair, and she sets him up continually.
He is so different when he is away from her; Laura remarked it. How
he ever could have married her!"

"It would be the simplest act of courtesy to speak about the room; just
mention it to Floyd."

Mrs. Grandon draws a long, despairing sigh, as if she had been put upon
to the uttermost.

"We must invite the Brades and the Van Bergens to the dinner, though I
suppose Laura will choose the guests and divide them to her liking;
only at the dinner we shall have no dancing. Laura is to come up
to-morrow."

"If you would like me to speak about