Laura, as soon as her brother-in-law had been in the room a moment, had a particular fear; she had seen him twice noticeably under the influence of liquor; she had not liked it at all and now there were some of the same signs. She was afraid the children would discover them, or at any rate Miss Steet, and she felt the importance of not letting him stay in the room. She thought it almost a sign that he should have come there at all--he was so rare an apparition. He looked at her very hard, smiling as if to say, 'No, no, I'm not--not if you think it!' She perceived with relief in a moment that he was not very bad, and liquor disposed him apparently to tenderness, for he indulged in an interminable kissing of Geordie and Ferdy, during which Miss Steet turned away delicately, looking out of the window. The little boys asked him no questions to celebrate his return--they only announced that they were going to learn botany, to which he replied: 'Are you, really? Why, I never did,' and looked askance at the governess, blushing as if to express the hope that she would let him off from carrying that subject further. To Laura and to Miss Steet he was amiably explanatory, though his explanations were not quite coherent. He had come back an hour before--he was going to spend the night--he had driven over from Churton--he was thinking of taking the last train up to town. Was Laura dining at home? Was any one coming? He should enjoy a quiet dinner awfully. 'Certainly I'm alone,' said the girl. 'I suppose you know Selina is away.' 'Oh yes--I know where Selina is!' And Lionel Berrington looked round, smiling at every one present, including Scratch and Parson. He stopped while he continued to smile and Laura wondered what he was so much pleased at. She preferred not to ask--she was sure it was something that wouldn't give _her_ pleasure; but after waiting a moment her brother-in-law went on: 'Selina's in Paris, my dear; that's where Selina is!' 'In Paris?' Laura repeated. 'Yes, in Paris, my dear--God bless her! Where else do you suppose? Geordie my boy, where should _you_ think your mummy would naturally be?' 'Oh, I don't know,' said Geordie, who had no reply ready that would express affectingly the desolation of the nursery. 'If I were mummy I'd travel.' 'Well now that's your mummy's idea--she has gone to travel,' returned the father. 'Were you ever in Paris, Miss Steet?' Miss Steet gave a nervous laugh and said No, but she had been to Boulogne; while to her added confusion Ferdy announced that he knew where Paris was--it was in America. 'No, it ain't--it's in Scotland!' cried Geordie; and Laura asked Lionel how he knew--whether his wife had written to him. 'Written to me? when did she ever write to me? No, I saw a fellow in town this morning who saw her there--at breakfast yesterday. He came over last night. That's how I know my wife's in Paris. You can't have better proof than that!'