y, she can't be moved at all! She is better off here than she
would be with a crowd around her bothering and wanting to wait on her,
as mothers and sisters invariably do," with a half-laughing nod at
Grandon. "Her back must get perfectly strong before she even sits up.
The diseases and accidents of life are not half as bad as the under or
over care, often most injudicious."

"Oh, do let me stay!" pleads Violet, with large, soft, beseeching eyes.

He has been planning how she shall be honored and cared for in her own
home, and does not like to yield. To have her out of the way here will
gratify all the others too much.

"Of course you will stay," the doctor says. "When a woman promises to
obey at the marriage altar, there is always an exception in the case of
that privileged and tyrannical person, the doctor."

Violet smiles, and is glad of the tyranny.

"She may see one or two guests and have a book to read, but she is not
to sit up."

The guest to-day is Cecil, but Denise makes the kitchen so altogether
attractive that Cecil's heart is very much divided. Mr. Grandon spends
part of the afternoon reading aloud, but his mellow, finely modulated
voice is so charming that Violet quite forgets the subject in the
delight of listening to him. Cecil would fain stay and wishes they
could all live with Denise.

Yes, there could be more real happiness in that little nest than in the
great house. Aunt Marcia's gift has not brought him very good luck,
even from the first.

CHAPTER XVI.

What is the use of so much talking? Is not the wild rose sweet without
a comment?--HAZZLIT.

Since there is no real alarm about Mrs. Floyd, arrangements go onward.
Madame Lepelletier and Mr. and Mrs. Delancy come up on the appointed
day, and madame is led to the lovely guest chamber where she reigned
before. This is Monday, and on Tuesday the _elite_ of Grandon Park and
a select few of the _creme_ of Westbrook are invited to dinner. Laura
is the star of the occasion, but madame is its grace, its surprise, its
charm. The few who have seen her are delighted to renew the
acquaintance, others are charmed, fascinated.

There has been no little undercurrent of curiosity concerning Mr. Floyd
Grandon's wife. The feeling has gone abroad that there is something
about it "not quite, you know." Mrs. Grandon has not concealed her
chagrin and disappointment; Marcia's descriptions are wavering and
unreliable, as well as her regard. This is suc