[Cover Illustration] =BY THE SAME AUTHOR= _Published by_ _Ward, Lock and Co., Ltd._ * * * * * MAIDEN STAKES BERRY AND CO. JONAH AND CO. AND FIVE WERE FOOLISH AS OTHER MEN ARE ANTHONY LYVEDEN VALERIE FRENCH THE BROTHER OF DAPHNE THE COURTS OF IDLENESS THE STOLEN MARCH _Published by_ _Hodder and Stoughton._ * * * * * BLOOD ROYAL BLIND CORNER PERISHABLE GOODS ADÈLE AND CO. FIRE BELOW SAFE CUSTODY STORM MUSIC AND FIVE WERE FOOLISH BY DORNFORD YATES WARD, LOCK & CO., LIMITED LONDON AND MELBOURNE _Printed in Great Britain by C. Tinling & Co., Ltd.,_ _Liverpool, London, and Prescot._ To RICHARD, _whose worst fault is_ _that he is growing up_. CONTENTS PAGE SARAH • • • • • 11 MADELEINE • • • • 41 KATHARINE • • • • 65 SPRING • • • • • 99 ELIZABETH • • • • 129 JO • • • • • • 155 ATHALIA • • • • • 183 ANN • • • • • 211 ELEANOR • • • • • 253 SUSAN • • • • • 281 SARAH SARAH Sarah Vulliamy stared at her pink finger-tips. “But,” she protested, “I wanted to marry George Fulke.” “I can’t help that,” said Pardoner gloomily, filling her glass with champagne. “I didn’t make the rotten Will.” “Well, you needn’t be so ungallant about it,” retorted Sarah. “And it’s no use giving me any more champagne, because I shan’t drink it. Filthy stuff.” Her companion raised his eyes to heaven. “‘Filthy stuff,’” he breathed. “And I brought you here, because this is the only place in London that’s got any left. ‘Filthy stuff.’ I daresay it doesn’t appeal to you, but why blaspheme? Never mind. When we’re married, I’ll——” “I tell you,” said Sarah, “I want to marry George Fulke.” “I’m not surprised,” said Pardoner. “George Fulke is a most desirable young man. I should think, as a husband, he’d feed right out of your hand. But there you are. You’ve refused him three times—on your own confession: and now it’s too late.”