In other ways, too, Mrs. Hazeldine began to find that there was a likelihood of her being "appreciated"--that was how she stated the case to herself--after a fashion to which she could lay no claim during her husband's lifetime. Both Lady Glendoyle and the Hon. Mrs. Gore-Bandon--by neither of whom had she ever been noticed before--called upon her in her great affliction, and were most kind and sympathetic; while the Countess of Elstree in person made inquiries and left a card. Even at such a time, she could not help deriving a melancholy satisfaction from the knowledge that her mourning was quite correct and beyond criticism. Fanny had not been too much overwhelmed with grief to look carefully after so vitally essential a matter. To Fanny the loss of her father was a serious blow in more ways than one. For one thing, it meant her enforced absence for at least six months to come from all those gaieties and social functions in which her soul delighted. At two-and-twenty she felt that such a waste of precious time was nothing less than a serious misfortune; and then she was beset by the consciousness that in mourning she looked nothing less than "horrid." It should not be her fault if her mother and she did not go into half-mourning at the earliest possible moment. In the way of half-mourning there are always some lovely things obtainable--delicate shades and semi-tones of color which would suit her style and complexion admirably. It was especially annoying that a certain event should have happened when it did, just as she had entered on a most promising flirtation with Mr. Gerald Darke, who had come down from town to stay for a month with a rich maiden aunt from whom he had expectations. Who could say what might not have come of the affair! As matters fell out, however, young Darke's visit had come to an end during the time Fanny was necessarily invisible. She felt that it was very hard on her, more particularly in view of the fact that for some time past she had given up flirtation for flirtation's sake, and always, nowadays--with an eye to possible eventualities--made herself sure beforehand that the game was worth the candle.