“Oh, Véronique, I have not got a cold, I am only wildly happy!” I said. “Mademoiselle is doubtless _fiancée_ to Mr. Carruthers. _Oh! mon enfant adorée_,” she cried, “_que je suis contente!_” “Gracious no!” I exclaimed. This brought me back to Christopher with a start. What would he say when he heard? “No, Véronique, to some one much nicer--Lord Robert Vavasour.” Véronique was frightfully interested--Mr. Carruthers she would have preferred for me she admitted, as being more solid--more _rangé_--_plus à la fin de ses bêtises_, but, no doubt, “Milor” was charming too, and for certain one day Mademoiselle would be Duchesse. In the meanwhile what kind of coronet would Mademoiselle have on her trousseau? I was obliged to explain that I should not have any--or any trousseau for an indefinite time, as nothing was settled yet. This damped her a little. “_Un frère de Duc, et pas de couronne!_” After seven years in England she was yet unable to understand these strange habitudes, she said. She insisted upon putting me to bed directly after dinner--“to be prettier for Milor _demain_!” and then, when she had tucked me up, and was turning out the light in the centre of the room she looked back--“Mademoiselle is too beautiful like that,” she said, as if it slipped from her--“_Mon Dieu! il ne s’embêterai pas, le Monsieur!_” CLARIDGE’S, _Monday morning_. I WONDER how I lived before I met Robert. I wonder what use were the days. Oh! and I wonder, I wonder if the Duke continues to be obdurate about me if I shall ever have the strength of mind to part from him so as not to spoil his future. Such a short time ago--not yet four weeks--since I was still at Branches, and wondering what made the clock go round--the great big clock of life. Oh, now I know! It is being in love--frightfully in love like we are. I must try to keep my head though, and remember all the remarks of Lady Ver about things and men. Fighters all of them, and they must never feel quite sure. It will be dreadfully difficult to tease Robert, because he is so direct and simple; but I must try I suppose. Perhaps being so very pretty as I am, and having all the male creatures looking at me with interest will do, and be enough to keep him worried, and I won’t have to be tiresome myself. I hope so, because I really do love him so extremely, I would like to let myself go and be as sweet as I want to. I am doing all the things I thought perfectly silly to hear of before. I kissed his letter, and slept with it on the pillow beside me, and this morning woke at six and turned on the electric light to read it again! The part where the “Darling” comes is quite blurry I see in daylight; that is where I kissed most I know!