"You may make that over to my wife," said the major, plaintively. "I thought she was above carrying flowers about with her to parties--she used to say it was bad art--you did, my dear, so don't deny it; you told me distinctly that that was not what flowers were meant for. But she says she will have your bouquet, Elizabeth, so that you may not be afraid of hurting my feelings by taking this that is so much better. Where the fellow got it from I can't imagine. I only know of one place where lilies of the valley grow, and they are not for sale _there_." Elizabeth looked at him with slowly-crimsoning cheeks. "What fellow?" she asked. He returned her look with one that only Major Duff-Scott's eyes could give. "I don't know," he said softly. "He _does_ know," his wife broke in; "I can see by his manner that he knows perfectly well." "I assure you, on my word of honour, that I don't," protested the little major, still with a distant sparkle in his quaint eyes. "It was brought to the door just now by somebody, who said it was for Miss King--that's all." "It might be for any of them," said Mrs. Duff-Scott, slightly put out by the liberty that somebody had taken without her leave. "They are all Miss Kings to outside people. It was a very stupid way of sending it." "Will you take it for yourself?" said Elizabeth, holding it out to her chaperon. "Let me keep my own, and you take this." "O no," said Mrs. Duff-Scott, flinging out her hands. "That would never do. It was meant for one of you, of course--not for me. _I_ think Mr. Smith sent it. It must have been either he or Mr. Westmoreland, and I fancy Mr. Westmoreland would not choose lilies of the valley, even if he could get them. I think you had better draw lots for it, pending further information." Patty, rising from the piano with a laugh, declared that _she_ would not have it, on any account. Eleanor believed that it was meant for her, and that Mr. Westmoreland had better taste than people gave him credit for; and she had a mind to put in her claim for it. But the major set her aside gently. "No," he said, "it belongs to Elizabeth. I don't know who sent it--you may shake your head at me, my dear; I can't help it if you don't believe me--but I am convinced that it is Elizabeth's lawful property." "As if that didn't _prove_ that you know!" retorted Mrs. Duff-Scott. He was still looking at Elizabeth, who was holding her lilies of the valley to her breast. His eyes asked her whether she did not endorse his views, and when she lifted her face at the sound of the dinner bell, she satisfied him, without at all intending to do so, that she did. _She_ knew that the bouquet had been sent for her.