"A shadow of coming events, perhaps! not exactly disaster, or I should be what the Scotch call 'fey,'" and he sighed. He felt very fatigued and disturbed, and he hardly knew what. Lady Garribardine did not press the matter. She had enormous tact. * * * * * Mrs. Delemar at that moment was lying upon her sofa in a ravishing saffron gauze teagown smoking scented cigarettes, while she discussed her heart's secrets with a dearest friend. "Gerard is madly in love with me, Agnes. I hardly know what to do about it. I have chucked for to-night on purpose to give him a setback." "It will be most cosy dining here alone with Bobbie Moreland and Jimmy and me. You were quite right, darling." "Poor Bobbie, back from that horrible India where he has been for a year--of course, I could not refuse him--But Lady Garribardine is wild." "It would not do to offend her really, Läo sweet. You must be penitent and send her some flowers to-morrow." If Katherine Bush had been there, she would have seen a strong likeness in Mrs. Delemar to her future sister-in-law, Mabel Cawber; her cigarette ash was knocked off in almost as dainty a fashion as that lady employed in using her spoon. Mrs. Delemar _never_ ceased remembering that she was a beautiful woman, and must act accordingly; the only difference between them was that Mabel Cawber _never_ forgot that she was a perfect lady, and was determined that no one should miss this fact if she could help it. Their souls were on a par--or whatever animating principle did duty as a soul in each. Mrs. Delemar returned to the subject of Gerard with a sigh, telling her friend Agnes the most intimate things he had said to her and giving her pleasing descriptions of her own emotions, too. Gerard was a feather for any woman's cap, and Agnes should know how crazily in love he was with her. "I think he'll do something desperate, darling--if I don't give way soon--I wish men were like us, don't you?" "One must please the creatures, or they would not stay." "Yes--but oh! isn't it a shocking bore--that part--if they only knew!" * * * * * Katherine Bush, meanwhile, was arriving at Laburnum Villa, where a crowd of sisters and friends welcomed her home. Fresh from the entrancing fencing match with Gerard Strobridge, their well-meant chaff and badinage sounded extremely bald. But among them poor Gladys was silent, and sat with flushed cheeks and overbright eyes, looking at Katherine. "I want to talk to you, Glad," this latter said, kindly. "Lady Garribardine has given me ten pounds to get a real evening frock with. I must have it to take down to Blissington for Christmas--we go to-morrow week. But can I get it in the time?" Gladys was all interest at once. Clothes were a real passion for her. She devised something pretty; but five pounds would be quite enough. Katherine had better have two dresses, a black and that lovely new shade of mauve.