The duchess made no reply. The subject seemed to have no particular interest for her, whereas the beautiful point-lace she was making had great claims on her attention. After a few minutes Lady Estelle continued: "I suppose nothing more has been heard of the child; no one has claimed her, or the story would have reached us. I must confess that I feel some little curiosity as to what she is like. I should be pleased to see her." "If the girl bears out the promise of her youth, she would be worth seeing," said the duchess. The entrance of her husband interrupted her, and she said no more. The Duke of Downsbury looked pleased. "My dear," he said to his wife, "I am delighted. I have the finest agent in the country. The accounts and everything else are in the finest possible order. I am so pleased that I thought of giving a dinner to the tenants; it could be no annoyance to you, and it would be a nice little act of attention, after being absent so long." The duchess quite agreed with the project. It would be a compliment to them, and a pleasure to herself, she said. The duke smiled to think what an amiable wife he had. "To all your tenants, papa?" said Lady Estelle, in her graceful, languid way. "Yes, all of them--rich and poor; but then there are no poor." She smiled. "I shall see Mark Brace," she said. "I was just telling mamma that I felt some interest in that child we saw. I should like to know how she has turned out." The duke's face lighted up. "That pretty little girl," he said; "the one over whom there was a mystery. I had forgotten her, and the story too. I should like to see her. What wonderful hair she had. I must tell Mark Brace to bring her over." "Mark Brace is a sensible man," the duchess hastened to observe; "I am sure he will understand. She was a vain child then--she will be even vainer now. No one knows what nonsensical ideas will fill her mind if she thinks she has been invited here; you might do her a great harm by such indiscretion. Tell him to bring her over if he likes; but tell him at the same time, it will be as well for him not to mention it--he is sensible enough to understand." "I see--you are quite right, my dear--it shall be just as you say." And Lady Estelle hastened to add: "You are wise, mamma. I feel some curiosity over her. I have a vague recollection of a brilliant, beautiful child, who seemed very much out of place in that quiet farm-house. But it is so long ago."