"Dick says I can come home as much as I like, while he is at sea. I know Dad will want to have me. I _wish_ he had telegraphed. He won't think I don't love him as much as ever because I am going to leave him, will he? I love him a thousand times more. I told Dick he must never take me away from him for very long." "What does Dick feel about Dad?" asked Caroline, remembering what her father had said to her on that subject when they had ridden together. "Oh, he loves him. He told me he had first come over here because he liked him so much. It wasn't me--until later--not very much later, though. It was nearly love at first sight, but not quite. He says he doesn't think there is such a thing really. If there is it isn't the best sort of love, because it's only what a person looks like. I'm rather frightened, you know, finding what sort of person Dick thinks I am. I hope I shall be able to live up to it." "It won't want living up to, darling, if you love him. You'll only have to be yourself. That would be enough for any man." Beatrix flung her arms round her neck and kissed her warmly. "_You_ know I'm not perfect, darling," she said. "But you love me all the same, don't you?" For a moment, as she clung to her, Caroline thought that there were to be the real confidences for which she was aching. She returned her embrace, with her heart in her throat. But Beatrix drew herself away. "He does love me; and I love him," she said, with an air of finality. But there had been ever so little of a pause between the two statements. Grafton's telegram came early the next morning, "Delighted, my darling; love and blessings. Have wired to Dick, shall be down this evening. Bring him to meet me." It was Thursday, and he had not intended to come down until the following day. There was no doubt about the pleasure the news had given him. Beatrix went about the house singing. Late that evening Caroline came down to talk to her father, who was reading in the library over a last pipe. One of the signs of his changed habits was the considerable diminution of his cigar bill. He looked up with a smile of pleasure. "Why, my darling child," he said, "I thought you were in bed long ago. Have you been talking it all over with B?" "No," she said. "I thought I'd come and talk it all over with you, Dad." He laid aside his book. "Well, it's all very satisfactory, isn't it?" he said. "Rather different from last time! We weren't in such a happy state a year ago." "It wasn't quite a year ago," she said. "And it isn't six months ago since she was so much in love with somebody else." "I know. I knew she'd get over it. But I confess I didn't think she'd get over it quite so quickly." She didn't reply. He looked at her, and asked: "What's the matter, darling? Aren't you pleased about it? She _has_ got over that other business, hasn't she?"