Freda’s contempt very soon turned to pity.  The handsome, fascinating, deceitful colonel was amply indemnified for all the hearts he had broken, and those broken hearts fully avenged by the tedium of his home life.

Of course, Freda did not discover all this during that one Christmas Day, but it developed itself during her subsequent stay at Glanyravon.

‘We did not ask any one else to dinner to-day, Gwynne,’ said Mr Gwynne, ’because we thought Freda would like to have us alone, you know, and see the children, and—­and all that sort of thing.’

‘I hope Freda enjoys a family-party better than I do,’ said the colonel, looking at her as he spoke.  ‘Of all things on earth, it is the slowest.’

‘Complimentary,’ said Lady Mary.

’Oh!  Gwynne ith alwayth tho fond of thaying what he dothn’t mean.  He often doth to me, don’t you, my dear?  But I don’t mind, becauth I underthtand him now.’

Freda looked at Mrs Vaughan to see if she spoke ironically.  Not at all.  She fully believed what she said.  Colonel Vaughan saw the glance, and smiling, said,—­

‘All in good faith, I assure you.’

Freda blushed, and to turn the conversation, began to talk to him of his children, and to praise their beauty.  He smiled again, as perfectly understanding her ruse.

‘People call them loves and angels!’ he said, ’and even go into raptures over the baby.  For my part, I never look at them when they are babies.  Indeed, I don’t like children, and all ours are so spoilt.  Wilhelmina doesn’t know how to manage them, and now their governess is away, the house is like a lunatic asylum.’

’Oh, Gwynne, how abthurd you are!  He ith tho fond of them, Freda, you can’t think, and they are thuch little dearth.’

‘I was greatly amused,’ said Freda, ’to hear Minnie call Harold “uncle,” just now; and he seemed not a little proud of his dignity.’

‘Surely, Freda, you haven’t learnt to talk baby talk!’ said Colonel Vaughan.  ‘You used to eschew such twaddle.’

’It was time for me to learn to like a great many things that I professed to hate.  I hope I am improved since I was here last.  But I always liked children.’

‘Oh!  Harold is so fond of her,’ said Mr Gwynne.  ‘He is a wonderful boy.’

Here followed a history of various achievements of Harold, during which Colonel Vaughan vainly endeavoured to catch Freda’s eye.  She was only too well-disposed to smile at the infatuation of the doating father.

‘Here are the children, I think,’ said Lady Mary.

In bounded Harold, and jumped, unbidden, on Freda’s lap.

‘I ull have some of that—­and that,’ said Harold.

‘And I will have—­’ began Minnie.

‘You will have nothing if you ask for it,’ said the colonel with a frown.

His little trio were quiet in a moment.

‘Ganpapa, take me up,’ said Dot, creeping round to Mr Gwynne.