It was with a sense of delightful, though almost bewildering, elation that Mrs Wentworth entered the dining-room, where various members of the party staying in the house were lounging over the irregular breakfast. No member of the family was present except Alicia, who half rose to greet her in her usual good-natured, apathetic way. "Am I not praiseworthy, Mrs Wentworth, for being down so early?" she said. "Is no one else down?" asked the new-comer, somewhat surprised; for the Helmont energy extended to early rising. "I mean to say, none of yourselves?" "Oh dear, yes. Father and mother are off on their usual behests, and Florence was down at nine to give our worthy cousin his breakfast. Major Winchester was obliged to go up to town this morning." "I know--at least I heard so," Mrs Wentworth could not resist saying. "Really!" said Alicia with a glance of surprise. And as Miss Forsyth at that moment came in--"Did _you_ know, Mab, that Rex and Robin went off first thing this morning? Oh yes, by the bye, I believe you and Trixie didn't go to bed at all, did you?" "It was much jollier sitting up in our armchairs over the fire," said Mabella, carelessly. She did not look the least tired or fagged. "Give me a cup of coffee, won't you, Alicia? It's such a time since I had breakfast, I feel ready to begin again.--And how is the fair Imogen, Mrs Wentworth? You yourself look brilliant," she added. Mrs Wentworth smiled graciously. "Thank you," she said; "Imogen is very well, very well indeed. She will be down directly. She would have been down already, but she had--we had some rather important letters this morning." Miss Forsyth drew her chair a little closer to her dear Mrs Wentworth's. "Nothing wrong, I trust?" she said in a low voice. "No, you could not look as you do if it were. Really, dear, there are times, and this is one of them, when, I _cannot_ take in that you are Imogen's mother--you do look so ridiculously young. If there is anything--any business matter--I can be of use about, you _will_ tell me, won't you?" "You are so kind, dear Mabella," murmured Mrs Wentworth vaguely. "Let us take our work and go and sit in the large conservatory after breakfast, and have a good cosy talk," the girl went on. "Imogen is sure to be--oh no, I forgot; Major Rex is off there will be no one especially to claim her this morning." Mrs Wentworth closed her lips in a peculiar way but did not reply. Just then Trixie came in, like a whirlwind, as usual, but looking very handsome. "Where's Imogen?" she exclaimed. "We're going to skate--Noll and I and one or two others--and she said she wanted to learn. Is she still asleep?" "Oh no, she will be down directly, and--if it's not too cold, and--" she hesitated, for her faith was small in Trixie. "Would you like to go, dear?" she went on to Imogen, as she made her appearance.