She had a nice little old-fashioned house in Kensington, with a pretty garden, just large enough to allow of visitors being well wet in rainy weather between the garden gate and the hall door.  This diminutive mansion was crammed with curios, specimens of china, of carved wood, of Japanese lacquer—­these much rarer than at present.  It was a pleasant abode withal; a kindly, generous, happy-go-lucky spirit pervaded it.  Few coming to seek help there were sent empty away, and the owner’s earnest consideration was ready for all who sought her advice.  It was real joy to her to entertain her friends in an easy, unceremonious way, and her friends were equally pleased to accept her hospitality.

On the present occasion Mrs. Needham was deeply interested in her expected guests.  Katherine Liddell had pleased her from the first, practical and unsentimental as she was.  She was disposed to weave a little romance round the bright sympathetic girl, who listened so graciously to her schemes and projects, whose brightness had under it a strain of tender sadness, which gave an indescribable subtle charm to her manner.  Miss Payne she had known more or less for a considerable time, and regarded as a worthy, useful woman; while her third guest was the only child of the wealthy publisher George Bradley, the owner of that new and flourishing publication, The Piccadilly Review, wherein those brilliant articles on “Our Colonial System,” “Modern European Politics,” etc., supposed to be from the pen of Miles Errington, appeared.

“A partie carree of ladies does not seem to promise much,” said Mrs. Needham, when she had greeted Miss Payne and “her young friend,” into which position Katherine had sunk; “but unless I could have three or four men it is better to have none; besides we want to talk of business, and men under such circumstances always exclude us, so I don’t see why we should admit them.  Miss Bradley—­Miss Payne, Miss Liddell, of whom you have heard me speak.”

Miss Bradley rose from the sofa, where she was half reclining beside a bright wood fire, a tall stately figure in a long pale blue plush dress, cut low in front, and tied loosely with a knot of blue satin ribbon, nestling among the rich yellow white lace which fell from the edge of the bodice.  She was extremely fair, even colorless, with abundant but somewhat sandy hair.  Her features were regular and marked, a well-shaped head was gracefully set on a firm white column-like throat, and her eyes were clear and cold when in repose, but darkened and lit up when speaking of whatever roused and interested her.  Indeed, she looked strong and stern when silent.

“I am very pleased to meet you,” she said, in a full, pleasant voice.  “I have often heard of you from Mrs. Needham, and I think you know a friend of mine—­Mr. Errington.”

“Yes; I know him,” returned Katherine, feeling her face aflame.

“I have heard of you too,” continued Miss Bradley, addressing Miss Payne, “from several mutual friends, though we have never happened to meet before.  I think you had just left Rome with Miss Jennings when I arrived there some four years ago.”