“And you are one of the family, Maudie,” declared Mrs. Fenchurch, laying a strong detaining hand upon her arm; “so you must stay.” Then, removing her hat, which she tossed on the sofa, she was about to follow her husband, when the door was thrown wide, and Colonel Fenchurch advanced into the room, beaming with pride, and leading a tall girl in a fur-lined cloak, who looked both timid and tired. “My dear Letty, how late you are!” exclaimed her aunt, taking both her hands in hers and pecking her on the cheek; “and how frozen!” “There was a slight accident which delayed us,” explained the girl nervously. “Now, then, give me your cloak, and have some tea, and tell us all about it,” said her uncle, fussing round her. “I am afraid the tea is rather cold,” said Mrs. Fenchurch, moving towards the tea equipage; “but we will have some more at once,” and she rang the bell violently. “Maudie, this is my niece Lettice,” said Colonel Fenchurch, presenting her with ceremony. “Letty, Mrs. Hesketh is our nearest neighbour and your aunt’s cousin, and I hope you may find a corner in her heart.” “My dear, you must be perished,” said the lady kindly. “Why, I declare you are positively shivering!” “Oh no, no,” she protested, whilst her uncle helped her to remove her wrap. “This room is delightfully warm.” “Now, Letty, take off your hat,” he urged eagerly. “I am afraid my hair is dreadfully untidy,” but she nevertheless removed a fur cap, and bared a head of beautiful light brown hair, which exhibited a natural wave. “So you have had a long journey,” continued Mrs. Hesketh. “Yes, nearly two days--we all travelled together--I mean the girls at my school--as far as London.” “And the crossing?” “Oh,” with a quick, expressive gesture, “_dreadful_! I’d rather not think of it! Sometimes the boat stood upright!” “Come tell us about your railway accident,” said her uncle cheerfully. “It was really nothing,” she answered; “we ran past another train that had been shunted, and the end of it caught our carriage doors, or something--at any rate we were nearly shaken off the line. It gave us a shock, for we were travelling fast, and were dreadfully mixed up in our compartment.” “And who were you mixed up with?” he enquired jocosely. “The young man in the opposite seat,” and she coloured and laughed. “He wore an enormously thick ulster, and so I wasn’t a bit hurt.” “And afterwards?” “We had all to get out and wait at a tiny station for more than an hour--such a bare miserable----” “Do you take sugar?” interrupted Mrs. Fenchurch, with the tongs in her hand. “Yes, if you please, aunt--one lump.” “Then here is your tea at last, and some nice hot toast,” said Colonel Fenchurch, approaching. As he sat down beside her he said, “And how did you and the young man continue the acquaintance so violently begun?” “He asked me if I was hurt--that was all.”