who was Ayala Dormer? Even though Lady Albury bade her
come out in the carriage, it seemed to her to be done as a final
effort of kindness. Of course they would be anxious to be rid of her.
That evening the buxom woman did not come to help her dress herself.
It was an accident. The buxom woman was wanted here and there till it
was too late, and Ayala had left her room. Ayala, in truth, required
no assistance in dressing. When the first agonizing moment of the new
frock had been passed over, she would sooner have arrayed herself
without assistance. But now it seemed as though the buxom woman was
running away, because she, Ayala, was thought to be no longer worthy
of her services.

On the next morning she began her little speech to Lady Albury.
"Going away to-morrow?" said Lady Albury.

"Or perhaps the next day," suggested Ayala.

"My dear, it has been arranged that you should stay here for another
three weeks."

"No."

"I say it was arranged. Everybody understood it. I am sure your aunt
understood it. Because one person goes, everybody else isn't to
follow so as to break up a party. Honour among thieves!"

"Thieves!"

"Well;--anything else you like to call us all. The party has been
made up. And to tell the truth I don't think that young ladies have
the same right of changing their minds and rushing about as men
assume. Young ladies ought to be more steady. Where am I to get
another young lady at a moment's notice to play lawn tennis with Mr.
Greene? Compose yourself and stay where you are like a good girl."

"What will Sir Harry say?"

"Sir Harry will probably go on talking about the Stillborough fox and
quarreling with that odious Captain Glomax. That is, if you remain
here. If you go all of a sudden, he will perhaps hint--"

"Hint what, Lady Albury?"

"Never mind. He shall make no hints if you are a good girl." Nothing
was said at the moment about the Colonel,--nothing further than the
little allusion made above. Then there came the lawn tennis, and
Ayala regained something of her spirits as she contrived with the
assistance of Sir Harry to beat Nina and the curate. But on the
following day Lady Albury spoke out more plainly, "it was because of
Colonel Stubbs that you said that you would go away."

Ayala paused a moment, and then answered stoutly, "Yes, it was
because of Colonel Stubbs."

"And why?"

Ayala paused again and the stoutness almost deserted her. "Because--"

"Well, my dear?"

"I don'