"Certainly not," said Miss Maryon, decidedly. "Of course, if any one writes, it must be me. Not that I think it necessary--in fact, you are absurd, Celia. But still, as you have got it into your head. Thank you a thousand times," she went on, turning to Lady Campion with a frank heartiness which was one of her attractions. "I am ashamed to make such a fuss. Perhaps Celia is right, but--you will ask us again to come to see you, I hope? I should so enjoy it, and I long to hear about Miss Norreys." "I like the elder girl best," thought Lady Campion, as she entered her own house. "She is so entirely unaffected: the other, it strikes me, is a bit of a prig." But it is not the mark of a prig to look guilty; and poor Celia looked decidedly guilty as they drove off again. Mrs Balderson, gifted with the kind of tact which comes from an extremely warm heart, exerted herself to disperse the little cloud which had arisen, by giving her young friends a few details about Lady Campion. "She is so clever," she said; "she can do almost anything she sets herself to. But I think she takes up too many things. She has no children, and few responsibilities; for they are not very rich--just comfortably off--and her husband is much older than she, and manages everything, so her time is greatly in her own hands." "_What_ a pity she married!" exclaimed Winifred, with extreme conviction. "She might have been really great at something, if she had not thrown herself into trammels." Mrs Balderson smiled, but there was some perplexity in her smile. "My dear!" she exclaimed, "you don't mean to say that that is how you look upon marriage--a happy marriage, too, for Sir Hugh Campion is devoted to his wife and she to him, only he spoils her a little." "Ah, yes," said Winifred, "a plaything when not a slave! I have my own ideas, dear Mrs Balderson, but you mustn't be shocked at me. You must allow that happy marriages are rare." "If you mean perfect marriages, perhaps so. But happy marriages--no, I can't agree with you. I know as many happy-together husbands and wives as mothers and daughters, or brothers and sisters, or any other relations," said Mrs Balderson. "I am using the word `happy' in a wider and deeper sense than yours," said Winifred, a little loftily. "But we must talk about it some other time. I flatter myself I have thought it out pretty thoroughly." "At one--no, two-and-twenty?" said her hostess, with a good-humoured smile. "I am four-and-twenty--past," said Winifred. They had reached Mrs Balderson's house by this time. "Come and have some tea before you take off your things," she said. "It is sure to be ready. And then you can write your letters up-stairs if you like. I hope the servants keep up a good fire in your room, Winifred?" "Oh dear yes," said Winifred. "Not that we really need one. London houses are so much warmer than country ones, you know."