"I should like to go very much, but I really cannot. I thank you for thinking of me." She stood up, and, with a slight bow, said, "Good-morning," leaving the room before the stout Colonel could reach the door to open it. "Phew! that was sharp, short, and decisive," said Ormonde. "Yes, wasn't it? She is quite a character. Leave her to me if you wish her to go. I will manage it." "Yes, do. She is something fresh, though she is not so handsome as I thought. I suspect there is a strong dash of the devil in her." "I cannot say _I_ have seen much of it," said the young widow, frankly. She was extremely shrewd in a small way, and had adopted an air of candid good-nature as best suited to her style and complexion. "Handsome or not, if you would like to have her at your party, I will try to persuade her to come." "Thanks. What a little brick you are!" said Ormonde, admiringly. "No nonsense with you, or trying to keep a pretty girl out of it. I say, Mrs. Liddell, it must be an awful life for you, shut up in this stuffy suburban box?" "Well, it is not cheerful; but I have no choice, so I just make the best of it," she returned, with as bright a smile as she could muster. "No use spoiling one's eyes or one's temper over the inevitable. Then I am really fond of my mother-in-law, poor soul! She would spoil me if she had the means; and Katherine--well, she isn't bad." "By George! if you make your mother-in-law fond of you, you must be an angel incarnate." "An angel!" echoed the little lady. "That would never do. No, no; it is because I am so desperately human I get on with them all." "Delightfully human, you mean. No house could be dull with you in it. There's nothing like pluck and good-humor in a woman." "Well, Heaven knows I want both!" "I am afraid I must be off," said the Colonel. "I am going to dine with Eversley, and he has a villa at Rochampton--quite a journey, you know. Where is the little chap that was nearly run over?" "Playing in the garden, very happy and very dirty. I dare not have him in--he always climbs up and hangs about me, for I have my best dress on!"--the last words in large capitals. "A deuced becoming dress too; but it's not so fine as what you had on yesterday." "No, of Course not; there are degrees of best dress. Yesterday's was my _very_ best go-to-luncheon dress, and must last me a whole year." "A year! By Jove! And you always look well dressed! You are a wonderful woman! Now I must be off. Mrs. Burnett says she will send the carriage for you on Thursday. We drive down to Twickenham." "Oh, thank you, Colonel Ormonde! I am sure I am indebted to you for that lift," said Mrs. Frederic, while she thought, "He might have driven me down himself." "_Au revoir_, then. Always hard to tear myself away from such a charming little witch as you are." Ormonde kissed her hand and departed.