When Billy’s mother went next morning she was told that the Baroness had gone to town the night before. Her servants and her horses followed her, and the hunt knew her no more. She left no address. Mr. Rigby Folaire and Lord Edward inquired her whereabouts in vain. But Billy knew she had "gone back into the sonnets"; for had she not said, as they rode home in the rain that afternoon, "That is my home of love: if I have ranged Like him that travels, I return again"? Billy was sure; and even Billy’s father has given up talking about Mary Fitton. *XI* *HER FIRST APPEARANCE* Somehow or other it got noised abroad in the town that Lady Valeria was coming to church the very next Sunday. The town was much interested. There are people who speak of our town as a "village." Such people are lacking in all sense of proportion. We pity them, and try to ignore the insult. But to return to Lady Valeria. For nearly four years we have had her in our midst. At first she was known as "the Earl’s baby"; but her appearance and character were such that she speedily achieved a distinct entity, and now her doings are chronicled with extreme minuteness. "Mammy dear! Mammy dear!" said Lady Valeria, "what does God do in church?" Her mother looked puzzled for a moment, then she said, "He listens to our prayers, and to the psalms and hymns we sing." "Will He speak to me, mammy dear? Will He want to kiss me?" Most people wanted to kiss Lady Valeria; she was quite used to it. "We cannot see God," answered the Countess gravely. "Why, mammy dear?" asked the persistent treble voice, "what does He hide for?" The Countess looked beseechingly at her husband, but he would not come to her assistance; he went and looked out of the window, and his shoulders shook. He gave her no help in these matters—no help at all—and, really, there never was a more inquiring child than Lady Valeria. "I’d like to see God, mammy dear! why can’t I?" "We can none of us see God—yet," said her mother, gently; "we shall see Him some day if we are good. Now listen, sweetheart, you must be perfectly quiet in church, and not talk at all; you must do whatever I do. Remember, it is God’s House, and we go there to thank Him for all He gives us, and to pray to Him for help to do right." Lady Valeria’s face was very solemn, and she held it up to be kissed, and she made many protestations with regard to the extreme decorum of her conduct when Sunday should come. Then the head nurse appeared and carried her off to nursery tea.