"Oh dear, yes. We got on capitally, like a house on fire," he replied, cordially. "I was so much obliged to you for giving me Celia to look after instead of her sister. I can't stand that other girl, and I think Lennox a lucky fellow to be out of it." "It is to be hoped he will come to see it in that light himself," said Mrs Balderson. "Not that I agree with you about Winifred. I like and admire her extremely, and I can understand her feeling that poor Lennox is not enough for her. With her talents and strength of character she may aspire higher, not to speak of her--well--material advantages." Eric gave a little grunt. Mrs Balderson sometimes found her son's grunts irritating. "Celia, of course, is a sweet little thing," she proceeded; "but nothing in her." Mrs Balderson was _not_ a worldly mother. Still she did not much want Eric to fall in love with Celia. He grunted again. "You are very uncivil, Eric," she said, with a touch of asperity. "Can't you say out what you mean? When you are like that, you make me feel you are influenced by nothing but commonplace, masculine contradiction." "Perhaps so," he replied. CHAPTER FOUR. A FIRST STEP. "Winifred," said Mrs Balderson, the next morning but one, at the breakfast-table, "here is something that will please you, I think," and she held out to Miss Maryon a letter she had just opened. It was from Lady Campion, asking them--the sisters and their hostess, or, if Mrs Balderson were otherwise engaged, the Maryon girls by themselves--to tea that same day, to meet Miss Norreys! Winifred's eyes sparkled. "Oh, how delightful!" she said. "How kind of her to have remembered about it!" But Mrs Balderson's face had clouded over with an expression of perplexity. "It is unlucky," she said. "I had forgotten for the moment that we were engaged to go with my cousins, the Nestertons, to the Exhibition of Embroidery in Street, and to tea with them afterwards. It _is_ a pity. Mrs Nesterton took some trouble to arrange it, and it is the last day of the Exhibition." "Oh, but it really doesn't matter," said Miss Maryon, and on Mrs Balderson's looking up with some surprise--for she had supposed that Winifred was exceedingly anxious to meet the woman she had so admired--"I mean," she went on calmly, "I don't at all mind missing the Exhibition, and I really don't know the Nestertons, you see, dear Mrs Balderson." Mrs Balderson did not feel very "dear" at that moment. "There are other things to be considered," she said, stiffly. "You _were_ very eager to see the Exhibition, and I cannot be rude to my cousins, whether you know them or not, my dear Winifred. Besides, there is your sister as well as yourself. What do you say, Celia?"