She walked slowly up the long aisle, her face uncovered, her head not bent in the conventional attitude, a half-smile of anticipation on her lips. Then Hugh's face, a deep voice hurrying through the prescribed service, her father leaving her to slip into a pew, her own voice more distinct than usual, and Hugh's less distinct, a confused interlude of kisses and congratulations in the vestry, and once more she was in the car, this time with Hugh. "My darling," he said quietly. "My lovely, darling Jessica." "I'm glad now that I'm Jessica Greene because I love you so." "Only a little minute, my sweet, and then we'll get away from these people and be by ourselves." "I don't mind them. They're all wondering if we'll be happy and if you'll be good to me, and thinking back to their own wedding-days and having lumps in their throats." "I should certainly have a lump in my throat if I were old and dull and came to your wedding, Jessica. You'll never know how beautiful you looked coming to me." They sat blissfully silent till the car stopped, and the parlourmaid was again at the door smiling brightly as she said: "Congratulations, Mrs. Greene, please, and to you, too, Sir." Jessica laughed. "It does sound funny," she said. "Thank you, Morgan. I suppose we ought to hurry upstairs and get ready in the drawing-room. Come along, Hugh; the mob may be on us at any moment." Three quarters of an hour later after more congratulations, a steady hum of conversation, and an exhausting atmosphere of heat, feathers and flowers, Jessica found herself being shepherded up to her room by Drusilla. "It all went beautifully," said Drusilla. "Really Jessica, you looked as nice as you wanted to." "Oh, Drusilla, I am so glad it's over, and yet I enjoyed every single minute, and I would like to do it all again, but of course I can't, ever. What a depressing thought." "You silly little thing. Why be depressed because you can't have a second wedding before you've even finished your first. Here, have some tea. Mother said you must while you were changing." "The whole of to-day has been nothing but eating queer foods at queer times, and saying thank you and dressing and undressing. I'm sorry to take my frock off and leave it behind." "Never mind. We'll have the neck cut a little lower while you're away and you can wear it for your first proper dinner-party when you come home." "Isn't it odd that I'm not coming home, Drusilla. I mean that I'm going to another house with Hugh." "It's beastly. I'll probably get married myself now." "I don't think you'd better. It would be such a blow for the two poor dear lambs." "Jessica, what cheek! Do you mean that I'm to be an elderly spinster just so that you can leave the parents with a clear conscience." "I'm not leaving them with a clear conscience. I wish I were, but I feel awful about Daddy."