She seemed to be saying this to herself more than to him, as though she would remind herself of her duty. Michael said no more, but as he followed her downstairs he told himself that no other girl could have borne herself so bravely and so sweetly under the circumstances. He wondered at her still more as he sat opposite to her at table, and saw the quiet gravity with which she took her part in the conversation. She spoke a word or two about her sister, and mentioned of her own accord that she had promised to bring Leonard to see her the next day. 'I do not mean to call him baby,' she said; 'he is far too important a personage. Did you hear nurse speak of him as Master Baby the other day? I think Gage must have given her a hint about it.' And then she listened with an air of interest as her mother related a little anecdote that recurred to her memory of Geraldine's babyhood. But he saw her flush painfully when Mrs. Ross commented on her want of appetite. 'You have eaten nothing to-day, Crauford tells me,' she continued anxiously. Audrey shook her head. 'One cannot always be hungry, mother dear,' she said gently; but it was evident that her mother's kindly notice did not please her. And she seemed still more distressed when her father once rose from his place to give her some wine. 'Why do you do that?' she asked, with a touch of impatience. 'It is not for you to wait on me, father. Michael would have filled my glass quite easily.' 'You are paying me a very bad compliment, Audrey,' returned Dr. Ross with a smile. 'You are telling me that I am too much of an old fogey to wait on ladies. Mike is the younger man, of course, and if you should prefer that he should help you to madeira----' 'No, father, it is not that; but it is for me to wait on you. You must never, never do that for me again.' And somehow Dr. Ross seemed to have no answer ready as he went back to his chair. But when she was alone with her mother she spoke still more plainly. Mrs. Ross had persuaded her to take the corner of the couch; but as she stood by her manipulating the cushions and adjusting them more comfortably, Audrey turned round quickly and took hold of her hands. 'Mother, do please sit down. I think you have all entered into a conspiracy to-night to kill me with kindness.' 'We are so sorry for you, darling.' 'Perhaps I am sorry for myself; but is that any reason why I should be treated as though I had lost the use of my limbs? I want you to behave to me as usual; it will be far better for me and you too. Why did not father and Michael talk politics, instead of making little cut-and-dried speeches that seemed to fit into nothing?' 'I daresay they found it very difficult to talk at all under the circumstances.' 'That sounds as though I had better have remained upstairs, as Michael suggested; indeed, I must do so if you will persist in regarding me as the skeleton at the feast.'