“Oh yes, very,” replied Lilian quickly. “That’s the worst part of it, that she never knows what she will have to do next, and has to be at the beck and call of the people who employ her. It’s dreadful to me,” she said, with sudden earnestness, “to have to know that poor Rachel is making herself a martyr to me and mamma, and working too hard, much too hard, just to earn money for us. I do so wish I could do something to help her; but I have no talent at all for anything, and can never hope to be anything but a burden to anybody.” “I don’t think,” answered Gerard, smiling, “that you will really have to look upon yourself in that light very long! I think I can answer for it that you’ll find quite a number of people not merely willing, but anxious, to take the burden, as you call it, off your sister’s shoulders very quickly indeed, when once you’re ‘out.’” “You mean that somebody will want to marry me?” asked Lilian, with a sort of blushing archness and shyness combined, which he thought charming. “Yes. The moment you are ‘out’ I prophesy that you will be snapped up,” said Gerard. But Lilian’s fair face clouded again. “Ah,” she said, “that coming out will be another great expense for poor Rachel. She’s determined that I shall be presented at Court, and the expense of that will be horrible.” Gerard was aghast. Timidly, hesitatingly aware that he was on delicate ground, he ventured to suggest obstacles. “But don’t you think,” he said, “that if you were to assure her that you would much rather not be presented, that it would be a useless sacrifice of money, if I may say so, she would be persuaded?” “I think it would be waste of money, too,” said Lilian, with a long face; “but she is very determined. She says all the women of our family have always been presented, and I must be. But what I say is, that in that case she ought to be presented first.” “Quite right. And what did she say to that?” “She said she was afraid she would not be eligible, because of having to work for firms in trade. And that in any case she hadn’t the time.” “But if she isn’t eligible,” said Gerard, more earnestly than ever, “perhaps it would affect your position too; and think what a dreadful thing it would be if the presentation were to be cancelled! That happens sometimes, when any circumstances come to the knowledge of the Lord Chamberlain that--that--” He grew confused, and stopped. He knew very little about Court Presentations, but was conscious that in the circumstances it would be madness to think of this one. “But she’s an artist, and not engaged in trade herself, unless you call selling her designs trade,” said the girl rather distantly.