"What! to be a grand lady's servant, Glad! My! I'd far rather be Mrs. Prodgers, junior, a lady myself, and keep my own general! Mabel's forever saying Katherine can't be anything but a slave--And Mabel knows--her cousin's aunt's daughter who married that gentleman with the large city business was presented at Court!" But Mrs. Bob Hartley only sighed. Life was growing particularly grim for her just now. She felt horribly ill, and had to stand about all day, and conceal every sensation to keep up the appearances that all was fair. Katherine reflected deeply upon the moral of the situation, after her sisters had left her. What martyrs many women were in life! and what hideous injustice it all seemed--and more than ever she saw how merciless nature is to weaklings. About three weeks before Easter, Lady Garribardine was alone down at Blissington; she had lately taken to having her secretary with her sometimes on her frequent visits to her cottagers. She would start in a rough, short suit, and a pair of thick boots, with a serviceable walking-stick, and would tramp for miles carrying a basket, in which were sweets and medicines. She was worshipped by her people, arrogant, commanding, kindly great lady! On one of these occasions they had the motor to meet them at the end of the home village, and drove six or seven miles to another in her outlying property. She was very gracious as they went along. "What books have you been reading lately, girl? If they are the Chesterfield Letters I think I may tell you that you have profited by them. Your manners generally are greatly improved." Katherine reddened with pleasure. "I have read them over and over again. I have found them more instructive to me than any other book." "In my young days they were considered highly immoral and pernicious, by most of the canting Victorian hypocrites--when, of course, everyone of the world knew that Chesterfield's advice on all points was the most sensible and sagacious that could be given--but hypocrisy had risen to a colossal height in the sixties and seventies." "I suppose so." "Nowadays not one person in ten thousand reads them, more's the pity. If the young men with their great personal beauty--which sport and suitable feeding have produced--could have been brought up to understand the advantage of cultivating 'the graces,' what godlike creatures they would be!" Katherine thought of Lord Algy; he must have done so unconsciously, she felt. "People are so apt to judge such a book upon the letter, not the spirit--naturally one must make allowances for the different customs and habits of the times; but the spirit of the advice adapted to modern requirements would make any man or woman into an eminent person if it was faithfully followed. I recommend it to you strongly, since I believe you are steadily trying to educate yourself, Miss Bush."