"Of course I can,"--briskly. "Lord de Burgh, if you care for music--not severe classical music, you know--ballads, recitatives, and that sort of thing--Hyacinth O'Hara, the new tenor, and Mr. Merrydew, that wonderful mimic and singer, are coming to me next Tuesday; I shall be delighted to see you." "Not so delighted, I am sure, as I shall be to come," returned De Burgh, with unusual suavity. "Very well--half past nine. Don't be late, and don't forget." "No danger of forgetting, I assure you." "By-the-bye," resumed Mrs. Needham, as if seized with a happy thought, "Angela Bradley receives on Sunday afternoons at their delightful villa at Wimbledon all through the season. Her first 'at home' will be the Sunday after next. I am sure she will be delighted to see any friend of Miss Liddell's." "If Miss Liddell will be so good as to answer for me, I shall be most happy to present myself. To make sure of being properly backed up, suppose I call here for Miss Liddell and yourself, and and drive you down? "Is it not rather far off to make arrangements?" asked Katherine, growing somewhat uneasy at thus drifting into a succession of of engagements with the man she half liked, half dreaded. "Far off!" echoed Mrs. Needham. "You don't call ten days far off? But I must run away and finish my letter. A journalist is the slave of her pen. Good morning, Lord de Burgh. I'll send the boys to you, Katherine." "That is an admirable and meritorious woman," and De Burgh, drawing a chair beside the sofa where Katherine sat. "Why are you so savagely opposed to anything like friendly intercourse with me--so reluctant to let me do anything for you? Do you think I am such a cad as to think that _anything_ I could do would entitle me to consider you under an obligation?" "No, indeed, Lord de Burgh! I believe you to be too true a gentleman for--" "For what? I see you are afraid of giving me what is called, in the slang of the matrimonial market, encouragement. Just put all that out of your mind, Let me have a little enjoyment, however things may end, and, believe me, I'll never blame you. I am not going to trouble you with my hopes and wishes, not at least for some time; and then, whatever the upshot, on my head be it." "But I cannot bear to give you pain." "Then don't--" "Auntie, we are quite clean. Won't you come back to tea at Miss Payne's? Do make her come, Lord de Burgh." "Ah, it is beyond my powers to make her do anything." "I cannot come now, my darlings; but I will be with you about half past six, and we'll have a game before you go to bed." "Come along, boys; we have intruded on your aunt long enough. Don't forget the circus on Friday, Miss Liddell." Another hug from Cis and Charlie, a slight hand pressure from their newly found playfellow, and Katherine was left to her own reflections.