Rhoda dared not say any more; she was in terror now lest he should proceed to question her about the picture and its restoration. But the baronet’s whole attention was absorbed by the peril to his wife, and he had forgotten everything else in the one theme. So Rhoda was able to make her escape to the house, where she was met on the stairs by Minnie, mocking, triumphant, stretching two long, thin arms across to bar her passage. “I told you you would have to stay, didn’t I?” asked she. Rhoda felt almost shocked at the girl’s uncanny perspicacity. “Oh, yes, yes, it wasn’t so difficult to predict that,” she said, as she dived under one of Minnie’s arms, and fled upstairs. It was not until dinner-time that Rhoda met Lady Sarah or Sir Robert again; and she perceived, at the first glance, at Lady Sarah and Jack that they were both on thorns as to what had happened during the afternoon. They looked apprehensively from her to Sir Robert and back again, as if knowing that there was something interesting for them to hear. Lady Sarah was most caressing and sweet to her husband, who received her advances with his usual gentleness, but not without a certain extra solemnity of manner which prepared her in some measure for what was to come. It was not until dessert was reached, and the servants had left the room, that Sir Robert, glancing at his wife, and smiling in a manner which was not quite spontaneous, said: “My dear, I’ve been preparing a little surprise for you, and I should like to know whether you will think it a pleasant one or not. Instead of your going to the Riviera this winter with your aunt and cousins I am going to take you to Egypt with me.” “With you! You’re going to travel!” gasped Lady Sarah, quite openly dismayed by the prospect. A cloud appeared on her husband’s brow. “Yes,” said he. “I’ve never been there myself, and I think I should enjoy it as much as you would. I hope you won’t think my society will spoil the trip for you.” “Oh, no, of course, I shall be delighted to have you,” said the beauty, in tones so cold and with such a vicious glance at Rhoda and such a frown of dismay at Jack that it was impossible not to understand that the announcement was a terrible shock to her. “And when did you make up your mind to this? Rather sudden, isn’t it?” “Not too sudden, I hope.” “Oh, no, of course not. It will be delightful.” Lady Sarah’s manner was not encouraging. She at once changed the subject and began to talk about other things; and nothing more was said about the proposed trip until the ladies left the room. Then Lady Sarah seized Rhoda almost roughly by the arm, and asked: “You had heard about this horrible Egypt trip, I suppose, before me?” “Yes. Sir Robert mentioned it to me this afternoon.” “Ah! You encouraged him in the wild idea, perhaps?” “Oh, Lady Sarah, is it a wild idea on his part, to think that he would like to spend the winter with you instead of away from you?”