"I did _not_ expect," she remarked, severely, "that you would have left the field in this fashion." "I don't find myself in the field at all, that's the truth," Everitt said, with a laugh. "Well, you might have been there," she said. "Pray, do you expect me to keep off other people?" "I expect nothing," he replied. "Seeing what a mess I have made of the thing myself, it would be unjust to suppose that others are to set it right." "Where are you going?" she demanded, suddenly. "At any rate, keep me informed of your movements, so that if there should be anything to write--" "Would you be so kind!" he said, eagerly. "But, of course, there can't." Still he told her what there was to tell, and gave her a list of places where he would apply for letters. With these in her mind, Mrs Marchmont went off the next day to the Lascelles', at a time when she knew that Kitty was out. She saw Mrs Lascelles. "How is Kitty?" she inquired. "It strikes me that she is looking pale and thin." "She is not very well," the mother admitted. "The weather has been hot lately. I'm not sure that so much painting is good for her, and, to tell you the truth, I think Kitty has worried over this foolish affair. I wish she would forget it." "So do I," said Mrs Marchmont, candidly. "What shall we do to her?" "She has plenty of sense," said Mrs Lascelles, "and if no more is said about it, and she finds there is no danger of meeting Mr Everitt, I hope she will cease to think about it all." "Poor man!"--with a sigh. "Oh, come, Mary," Mrs Lascelles said, with a laugh, "I am not going to have him pitied. He has caused us a great deal of annoyance, and if Kitty gets ill, I shan't forgive him in a hurry." "Why don't you take her away for a change? The inestimable Miss Potter would look after the children, and Captain Lascelles could dine with us whenever he pleased." Mrs Lascelles looked doubtful. "Where could we go?" "Oh, to the Channel Islands, or Brittany, or Normandy. Have you ever done Brittany? Kitty could draw, and would be very happy." "It has been a sort of dream between us," Mrs Lascelles admitted; "and to tell you the truth, my husband has to go down to Yorkshire next week. Still--for me to go away!" She protested a little in fact, but when Mrs Marchmont left her she was well on the way to yielding. Her visitor departed in high spirits, and her next point was to see Bell. "Bell," she said, confidentially, "I've something to tell you. Mr Everitt is going abroad." "I know," remarked Bell, calmly. "I heard that yesterday." Now, this somewhat astonished Mary Marchmont. She began to think that Bell's means of information were remarkably efficient, and to wonder what they were. Meanwhile she begged her to say nothing about it to the Lascelles'. "Mrs Lascelles talks of taking Kitty to Brittany, and if by any happy chance they were to meet, everything might come right. But, you know, if a hint reached them--"