Meanwhile, on their way up to dress, Mildred had gone in to Morella’s room, and the two had agreed that Mrs. Brown should be suppressed.

It was with extra displeasure Miss Winmarleigh had learned of Theodora’s relationship to Sir Patrick, and that after all she could not be called a common colonial.

There was no question about the Fitzgerald and Borringdon families, unfortunately, while Morella’s grandfather had been merely a coal merchant.

“I don’t think she is so wonderfully pretty, do you, Mildred?” she said.

But Mildred was a clever woman, and could see with her eyes.

“Yes, I do,” she answered.  “Don’t be such a fool as to delude yourself about that, Morella.  She is perfectly lovely, and she has the most deevie Paris clothes, and Lord Bracondale is wildly in love with her.”

“And apparently Freddy Wensleydown, too,” snapped Morella, who was now boiling with rage.

“Well, she is not likely to enjoy herself here,” said Mildred, with her vicious laugh, which showed all her splendid, sharp teeth, as she went off to dress, her head full of plans for the interloper’s suppression.

First she must have a few words with Barbara.  There must be none of her partisanship.  Poor, timid Barbara would not dare to disobey her, she knew.  That settled, she did not fear that she would be able to make Theodora suffer considerably during the five days she would be at Beechleigh.

Sir Patrick was busy with some new arrivals who had come while they were dressing, so not a soul spoke to Theodora or Josiah when they got down to the great, white drawing-room, from which immensely high mahogany doors opened into an anteroom hung with priceless tapestry and containing cabinets of rare china.  From thence another set of splendid carved doors gave access to the dining-room.

Neither Lord Wensleydown or Hector was in the room at first, so there was no man even to talk to them.  Lady Ada had not introduced them to any one.  And there they stood:  Josiah ill at ease and uncomfortable, and Theodora quite apparently unconscious of neglect, while she looked at a picture.

All the younger women were thinking to themselves:  “Who are these people?  We don’t want any strangers here—­poaching on our preserves.  And what perfect clothes! and what pearls!  Why on earth did Ada ask them?”

And soon the party was complete, and Theodora found herself going in to dinner with her cousin Pat, who arrived upon the scene at the very last minute, having come from Oxford by a late train.

Mildred had taken care that neither Lord Wensleydown or Hector should be anywhere near Theodora.  She had secured Lord Bracondale for herself, and did her best all through the repast to fascinate him.

And while he answered gallantly and paid her the grossest compliments, she knew he was laughing in his sleeve all the time, and it made her venom rise higher and higher.