A few days after this event Annabel called one morning at the Athelings. She expected Cecil North to be there, and he was not there; she waited for him to come, and he did not come; she tried in many devious ways to get Kate to express an opinion about his absence, and Kate seemed entirely unconscious of it. It provoked her into an ill-natured anger; and, casting about in her mind for something disagreeable to say, she remembered her resolve to find out how the sapphire ring came to be in Lord Exham's possession. Even if "the straight way had not been the best way," she was by nature inclined to direct inquiries; and she had just proven in her mental manoeuvring about Cecil North that indirect methods were not satisfactory. So she said bluntly:-- "Kate, did you ever hear about Lord Exham losing a ring he valued very much?" "Yes," answered Kate, without the slightest embarrassment; "it was my mother's ring." "Your mother's ring?" "Yes." "But Lord Exham had it on his finger." "My mother loaned it to him. He admired it very much, and wished to have one made like it." "The Duchess was sure that some lady had given it to him as a love gage. Do you know that he has fretted himself sick about its loss?" [Illustration:] "Oh, no! I am sure he is not sick. My mother made light of the loss to him, though she really was very much attached to that particular ring." "Have I ever seen her wear it?" "No. It was too small for her." "Then it was a simple souvenir?" "It was more than that; it was her betrothal ring. Father bought it in Venice." "Oh!" "But she had a slim little hand, then--like mine is now--" said Kate, laughing, and spreading out her hand for Annabel to observe. "Then you must have been talking of rings, and shown it to him." "I was wearing it. I had it on during the lunch hour, and you were present. It is a wonder you did not notice it, for you are so curious about finger-rings." "Yes, I am quite a ring collector." "It was rather a singular ring." "Will you describe it to me?" Kate did so, and Annabel listened with apparent curiosity. "I wonder what Exham could want with such a queer ring," she said in answer. "Perhaps he is also a ring collector." "Perhaps!" But the one word by no means explained the thoughts forming in her mind. She rose, and, lifting her bonnet, went to a mirror and carefully tied the satin ribbons under her chin, in the big bows then considered vastly becoming. Kate tried to arrest her hands. "Stay and take lunch with us," she urged. "Edgar is sure to be here; and I should like him to see you in that pretty cloth pelisse." "Mr. Atheling never notices me; then why should he notice my pelisse? I heard Lady Inglis say that he is very much in Miss Curzon's society. If so, he will clash with his friend Mr. North, who is also her devoted slave." "Now, Annabel! You know that Cecil North loves no one but you." "How can you be so wise about his love-affairs?"