She then reflected, while having her hair brushed, that it might be just as well that the breach with Roger had come before she had been in any way tarnished by the breath of scandal. People had already chaffed her about her handsome Land Agent. She would act so as to throw dust in their eyes, and certainly not play the part of _la maîtresse délaissée_. Later on in the morning, therefore, she wrote to Lucy saying she had accepted Roger’s resignation with the _deepest_ regret, but would not stand between him and his beloved Africa. Yet she hoped Lucy would not _think_ of leaving the Lodge until she was perfectly strong. She also told Roger’s successor, Mr. Flower, she had confirmed the arrangement Captain Brentham had outlined and requested him to call on her in the following week. In the afternoon of that day she issued the instruction "Not at home," intending to retire to her bedroom and have a good cry. But the full indulgence in this luxury was baulked by the announcement of her cousin Maud Brentham. Maud’s name some while ago had been put on the short list of people to whom "Not at home" did not apply. Maud had really been asked to call by the timorous Roger to see how Sibyl was "taking it." So Sibyl, divining this, received her affectionately; and only complained of the excessive brilliance of the ambassadorial party of the night before and the dead set made at her by the Prince having reduced her this following afternoon to the condition of a doll with the sawdust escaping from every seam. She talked quite calmly of Roger’s approaching departure and the arrangement of Lucy’s affairs after he had gone. "Why can’t you and she transfer yourselves from the Lodge to the House at Engledene and stay there indefinitely, till you take ship for Africa and golden joys? Lucy’s a god-send with poor nervous, peevish little Clithy. I _must_ leave the child there a good deal at present. He looks very peeky if he comes to London. And at Easter I shall shut up this house and go off to travel for a long time...." "But not to East Africa, I trust...?" said Maud with some anxiety. "Maud! You’re a _toad_!" When two very sad women came to Victoria on an appallingly cold and foggy morning to take leave of Roger—who was departing for Paris-Marseille to join his steamer—they were joined by a third, accompanied by an aloof footman carrying wraps; and books for Roger’s solace on the journey. Sibyl put her arm round Lucy’s waist, as they were saying farewell; and Roger having kissed his wife—most tenderly—and his sister—hesitated for one second, and then kissed Sibyl too. * * * * * _From Roger Brentham to his Wife._ H.B.M. Agency, Unguja, _March_ 29, 1891. [Very near the second anniversary of our happy marriage. Barely two years married and already two children. I wonder how baby Maud is getting on?] DEAREST LUCE,—