She had been through one or two disquieting moments. Gerard had appeared all that an eager lover should be, and she felt she must have been stupid in some way to have given him the impression that she was serious in her protestation of "not yet." She had no rival--that was plain to be seen. He never spoke to Betty d'Estaire--who was the only other young woman of the party. Perhaps it was because of Beatrice! Gerard was such a perfect gentleman, perhaps in some corner of a foolishly overpunctilious heart he was deterred by--Beatrice! But fortunately Beatrice was leaving the day after Boxing Day. In any case her usual method of rigid circumspection--until the very last moment--had not been quite successful with this would-be lover; he had been deceived by it and slightly rebuffed. It was merciful as far as her own emotions were concerned, but she knew men well enough to know that unless she herself had damped his ardour, this state of things was not altogether natural, and therefore it might imply some lack in her own charm, which was not an agreeable thought. However, she need not feel really disquieted while his attentions were still so _empressé_. * * * * * "Seraphim, I walked back from church with Miss Bush," Gerard said, stretching himself out in a huge chair by his aunt's fire, while he lighted a cigarette. "You are quite right, she is a most intelligent young woman; how do you account for that something about her which is not at all of her class?" "I don't know, it has puzzled me. I was watching her to-day pouring out the tea; she is the first secretary I have ever had, not excepting poor Arnott, who on such occasions did not feel that one or other of the guests was trying to snub her--Katherine Bush is never on the defensive--it is quite unique in a person of her station." "I watched her, too, and was struck with the same thing; and to-day she talked so well. She wanted to hear about the pictures--she is absolutely frank and tells one in the naïvest manner about what things she is ignorant of--but one finds that she must have read considerably." "She is full of theories about tradition and evolution. I let her tell me them motoring down--she seems to have dissected herself and her family in an endeavour to eradicate what she disapproves of in the way of instincts." "It is astonishing, isn't it, Seraphim?" "Very--she made one or two rather dreadful gaffes when she first came, especially during the tableaux week--it was quite interesting to see her face when she realised this. She did not once try to explain them away--she drew in her lips and I could see she was registering a vow never to make the same mistake again. That kind of nature always wins any game it is playing." "I wonder what hers is--don't you?"