"Poor little thing! I always think of the remark about the Queen in 'Alice in Wonderland.' 'A little kindness, and putting her hair in curl-papers, would do wonders for her.' She is so limp and thin and melancholy. As for him--isn't there a race or a prize-fight we can send him to?" Mrs. Allison tapped her lightly on the lips. "I won't go on unless my guests are taken prettily." Marcella kissed the delicate wrinkled hand. "I'll be good. What do you keep such an air here for? It gets into one's head." Letty Tressady, indeed, was looking on with a feeling of astonishment. These merry, childlike airs had absolutely no place in her conception of Lady Maxwell. Nor could she know that Mrs. Allison was one of the very few people in the world to whom Marcella was ever drawn to show them. "Sir Philip Wentworth," pursued Mrs. Allison, smiling. "Say anything malicious about him, if you can!" "Don't provoke me. What a mercy I brought a volume of 'Indian Studies' in my bag! I will go up early, before dinner, and finish them." "Then there is Madeleine Penley, and Elizabeth Kent." A quick involuntary expression crossed Marcella's face. Then she drew herself up with dignity, and crossed her hands primly on her lap. "Let me understand. Are you going to protect me from Lady Kent this time? Because, last time you threw me to the wolves in the most dastardly way." Mrs. Allison laughed out. "On the contrary, we all enjoyed your skirmish with her in November so much, we shall do our best to provoke another in May." Marcella shook her head. "I haven't the energy to quarrel with a fly. And as for Aldous--please warn his lady at dinner that he may go to sleep upon her shoulder!" "You poor thing!"--Mrs. Allison put out a sympathetic hand. "Are you so tired? Why will you turn the world upside down?" Marcella took the hand lightly in both hers. "Why will you fight reform?" And the eyes of the two women met, not without a sudden grave passion. Then Marcella dropped the hand, and said, smiling: "Castle Luton isn't full yet. Who else?" "Oh! some young folk--Charlie Naseby." "A nice boy--a very nice boy--not half such a coxcomb as he looks. Then the Levens--I know the Levens are coming, for Betty told me that she got out of two other engagements as soon as you asked her." "Oh! and, by the way, Mr. Watton--Harding Watton," said Mrs. Allison, turning slightly towards Lady Tressady. The exclamation on Lady Maxwell's lips was checked by something she saw on her hostess's face, and Letty eagerly struck in: "Harding coming?--my cousin? I am so glad. I suppose I oughtn't to say it, but he is such a _clever_, such an _agreeable_, creature. But you know the Wattons, don't you, Lady Maxwell?" Marcella was busying herself with Hallin's tea. "I know Edward Watton," she said, turning her beautiful clear look on Letty. "He is a real friend of mine."