"I will be very nice: as nice as I know to be. Lady Lyons would like some one a little before the world. She thinks Paul's wedding a very important thing." "If I can I will arrange about it. I was so provoked about not getting away, now I am glad." "Yes, I am Margaret's sister." "You say she is not coming?" "She offered and I declined. Where was the use of a long journey? I am going north afterwards." "And you are to write to me?" "If Paul is not jealous," and she laughed. Then he said good-bye. That evening Lady Lyons sat worrying herself a good deal about everything in general, and this impending difficulty in particular, when a note to Grace was brought in. It was from the Duchess. "DEAR MISS RIVERS, "My nephew says that, owing to your sister's absence, you would like to be befriended a little on your wedding-day. The Duke begs me to say that he will give you away with pleasure, and, as Lady Lyons is the young man's mother, I will call and take you to church. "How wise you are to have no bridesmaids or breakfast. I wish other girls were as sensible. Believe me, dear Miss Rivers, "Yours truly, "KATHERINE MALLINGTON." Grace gave the note to Lady Lyons without comment. "Her Grace's servant waits to see if there is any answer," said the waiter, very respectfully. Grace wrote, "DEAR DUCHESS OF MALLINGTON, "You are very kind, and I beg to thank you and the Duke very much. Yes, I shall be very grateful to you for so befriending me; it is good of you, who know me so little; of course it is also good of your nephew. "Yours truly, "GRACE RIVERS." "My dear Grace, now all is most delightfully arranged," said Lady Lyons; "now it will not be in a corner." "The place is not changed," said Grace. "I told you before I did not mean a corner." "You do take everything so much as a matter of course," said Lady Lyons, irritably. "How ought I to take things? Ought I to laugh or cry? Tell me what is the proper thing to do?" "You might be a little pleased." "I am very much pleased. I think the Duchess is very kind." "She must have taken a fancy to you, my dear." "I think not. I suspect she does not know me by sight." "Then why do this? What do you think yourself?" "I think it is all for Margaret." "And she has never seen her! My dear, you really are too ridiculous!" "No, Lady Lyons; can you not see how things really are? Sir Albert knew how you lamented my want of friends and he has done this for me." "But why, my dear, why? That's what I want to know," and Lady Lyons looked puzzled. "Ah, that is very puzzling indeed," said Grace, gravely: and Lady Lyons, who had from the first stated that she thought she had a gown that was quite good enough, went to consult her maid upon the subject.