Lady Lyons indeed was overflowing with content to find some one to talk to, after prolonged silence, in the first place; and, in the next, to discover that they had been disappointed in the same doctor, liked the same food, and had the same symptoms; this made the ball enjoyable indeed, and she did not care now how long Grace stayed. In the meantime Grace realised her dreams; she floated round the room, though her appearance was a little marred by the peculiar position of her head and a certain stiffness in her action. "You must trust more to me and be a little less timid," said Mr. Powis, when he, in his turn, took her round the room; "one can see you are out of practice." Grace did not tell _him_ it was quite her first ball. She danced without stopping; she would not take it quietly; she did want this one ball to be full of happiness, and she was encouraged by the laughing compliments of young Powis, who, himself a noted athlete and in excellent condition, could have danced for hours, and, to use his own expression, "not turn a hair." Grace's lips got very white, and Sir Albert more than once remonstrated with her and with her partner. "Has Gerald got anything to do with you?" he asked, with some temper. "What makes him interfere?" "I am sure I don't know," Grace answered with a ghastly smile; "but you see I don't mind. Let us go on." "What a brick you are!" he said, as they once more started. Arrived at the end of the long room, there was suddenly a great commotion, and Mr. Powis was shocked to find his "brick" of a partner fall back in a perfectly dead faint, in the arms of some of those lookers-on always standing about in a ball-room. She was quickly carried into a small sitting-room, where they scattered one or two people holding interesting conversations there. There was one chief idea present to every one, the Duchess must not be disturbed and the ball not for a second interrupted. Grace was very long coming round, and then she owned herself too ill to stay. Lady Lyons was found without much difficulty, and the two left the brilliant scene as soon as possible. Young Powis said something about the catastrophe to Sir Albert, who was annoyed with him. "How could I know she was going to faint?" he said; "she seemed all right: she wanted to go on." "She has been very ill indeed for months, and, as I sent her the invitation, I felt bound to try and prevent her from doing herself harm." "Oh, I did not know. She goes well enough, but she hangs back and makes herself heavy; my arm aches enough now. All the same I am very sorry. I could not think why you interfered." "If it had not been you it would have been with somebody else," and Sir Albert sprang into a hansom and disappeared. Lady Lyons only knew that Grace was over-fatigued; she knew nothing of her having fainted, and Grace herself was quite determined to say as little as possible. Were there not several other cards waiting, offering the same enjoyment?