’Oh, if all the gentlemen are in conspiracy to defend Miss Garston, I will say no more,’ returned Miss Darrell, with a shrug, but she did not say it quite pleasantly.  ’Gladys dear, I think we had better retire before I am quite crushed:  Giles’s frown has quite flattened me out.  Miss Garston, if you are ready,’ making me a mocking little courtesy; but Miss Hamilton waited for me at the door and linked her arm in mine, taking possession of me in a graceful way that evidently pleased Max, for he looked at us smiling.

‘Come into the conservatory, Gladys,’ whispered Lady Betty in her sister’s ear.  ’Etta has a cold coming on, and will be afraid of following us.’

The conservatory led out of the drawing-room, and was lighted by coloured lamps that gave a pretty effect; it was full of choice flowers, and two or three cane chairs filled up the centre.  It was not so warm as the drawing-room, certainly, but it was pleasant to sit there in the dim perfumed atmosphere and peep through the open window at the firelight.  Miss Darrell followed us to the window with a discontented air.

’I hope you are not going to stay there many minutes, Gladys:  you will certainly give yourself and Miss Garston a bad cold if you do.  There is something wrong with the warming-apparatus, and Giles says it will be some days before it will be properly warmed.  I thought I told you so this morning.’

’I do not think Miss Garston will take cold, Etta, and it is very pleasant here’; but, though Miss Darrell retreated from the window, I think we all felt as much constrained as though she had joined us, for not a word could escape her ears if she chose to listen.

But this fact did not seem to daunt Lady Betty for long, for she soon began chattering volubly to us both.

‘I am not so cross now as I was,’ she said frankly.  ’I am afraid I was very rude to Mr. Tudor at dinner; but what could I do when Etta was so impertinent?  No, she is not there, Gladys; she has gone out of the room, looking as cross as possible.  But what do you think she said to me?’

‘Never mind telling us what she said, dear,’ returned Miss Hamilton soothingly.

’Oh, but I want to tell Miss Garston:  she looks dreadfully curious, and I do not like her to think me cross for nothing.  I am not like that, am I, Gladys?  Well, just before we went in to dinner, she begged me in a whisper not to talk quite so much to Mr. Tudor as I had done last time.  Now, what do you want, Leah?’ pulling herself up rather abruptly.

’I have only brought you some shawls, Lady Betty, as Miss Darrell says the conservatory is so cold.  She has told Thornton to mention to his master when he takes in the coffee that Miss Gladys is sitting here, and she hopes he will forbid it.’

‘You can take away the shawls, Leah,’ returned Miss Hamilton quietly, but there was a scornful look on her pale face as she spoke.  ’We are not going to remain here, since Miss Darrell is so anxious about our health.  Shall we come in, Miss Garston?  Perhaps it is a trifle chilly here.’  And, seeing how the wind blew, and that Miss Darrell was determined to have her way in the matter, I acquiesced silently; but I was not a bit surprised to see Lady Betty stamp her little foot as she followed us.