It was the first, the very first time in her life that Darsie had essayed the part of queening it over a member of the opposite sex, and the success of the venture was startling even to herself. Ralph flushed, flinched, rose without a word, and stalked across the room to summon Dan as required; and Dan came meekly forward, seated himself in the discarded chair, and faced her with an air of solemn expectation. His rugged face looked plain and roughly hewn in contrast with Ralph's classical features, but the dark eyes were eloquent as of yore, and the sight of the tilted chin brought back a score of old-time memories. Darsie looked at him with satisfaction, but with a disconcerting blankness of mind as to what to say first. From the other side of the room Ralph was looking on with cynical eyes; it was imperative that the silence should be broken at once. "Dan, _please_ say something! I wanted Ralph to go, so I asked for you. Do please find something to say." Dan smiled broadly. Each time that she saw him smile Darsie wondered afresh how she could ever have thought him plain. His dark eyes glowed upon her with the look she liked best to see. "What am I to say? It's good to see you here, Darsie. You are looking very--well! Everything going all right? Sure there's nothing I can do?" "No." Darsie beamed happily. At that moment there seemed nothing left to wish. Dan's friendliness gave the finishing touch to her content, and the world was _couleur de rose_. "I am loving it all more than I expected. The work's glorious, and the play's glorious, and I'm just absorbed in both. It's splendid, coming here to-day to see this lovely old house and meet you again. I thought you had forgotten all about me." But Dan had drawn back into his shell, and refused to be cajoled. He glowered at the opposite wall for some minutes, then asked abruptly-- "Why did you send off Percival?" "Oh--!" Darsie hesitated, and then answered with discretion: "I had talked to him as much as I cared about for the moment, and I shall see him soon again. He is going to get up a tea-party for me, with that sweet Mrs Reeves as chaperon. I told him to ask you and Hannah." "You should not have done that!" Dan spoke with sharp displeasure. "I don't care to accept Percival's hospitality for myself, and certainly not for my sister. I shall tell Hannah to refuse." Darsie glanced across to where Hannah sat, a typical plain Hannah at that moment, with feet planted well apart, and on her face the expression of dour determination which she adopted in moments of boredom; from her to Ralph Percival, standing in graceful pose, his fine, almost feminine, profile outlined clearly against the panelled wall, and, glancing, laughed softly to herself. It seemed so ridiculous to think of this girl needing protection from this man. "I fancy Hannah is quite capable of looking after herself."