“But I cannot bear to give you pain.”

“Then don’t—­”

“Auntie, we are quite clean.  Won’t you come back to tea at Miss Payne’s?  Do make her come, Lord de Burgh.”

“Ah, it is beyond my powers to make her do anything.”

“I cannot come now, my darlings; but I will be with you about half past six, and we’ll have a game before you go to bed.”

“Come along, boys; we have intruded on your aunt long enough.  Don’t forget the circus on Friday, Miss Liddell.”

Another hug from Cis and Charlie, a slight hand pressure from their newly found playfellow, and Katherine was left to her own reflections.

The expedition to the circus was most successful.  It was on his way from Wilton Street to call for Katherine, on this occasion, that De Burgh encountered Mrs. Ormonde.  Need we say that she lost no time in making the proposed call on her sister-in-law; unfortunately Katherine was out; so Mrs. Ormonde was reduced to writing a requisition for an interview with her boys and their aunt.

This was accordingly planned at Miss Payne’s house, and Mrs. Ormonde was quite charming, playful, affectionate, tearful, repentant, apologetic for “Ormonde,” and deeply moved at parting from her boys, who where somewhat awed by this display of feeling.  Still she did not succeed in breaking the “cold chain of silence” which Katherine persisted in “hanging” over the events of the past week.

“So De Burgh took the boys about everywhere?” said Mrs. Ormonde, as Katherine went downstairs with her when she was leaving, and they were alone together.  “It is something new for him to play the part of children’s maid; and, do you know, he only left cards on us, and never asked to come in.”

“He was always good-natured,” returned Katherine, with some embarrassment; “and, you remember, he used to notice Cis and Charlie at Castleford a good deal.”

“Yes; after you came,” significantly.  “Never mind, Katie dear, I am not going to worry you with troublesome questions; but I am sure no one in the world would be more delighted than myself did you make a brilliant match.”

“Believe me, there will never be anything brilliant about me, Ada.”

“Well, we’ll see.  When do you take the boys to school?

“On Wednesday; should you like to come and see the place?”

“I should like it of all things, but I mustn’t, dear.”

“I do hope the school may prove all I expect; but the change will be bad for Charlie.  He had lost nearly all his nervousness; strange teachers and a new system may bring it back.”

“Oh, I hope not.  Does he still stop short and speechless, and then laugh as if it were a good joke, when he is puzzled or frightened?”

“Very rarely, I believe.  I will write to you the day after I leave the boys at Wandsworth.  They don’t like going at all, poor dears.’

“Well, we shall not be much longer in town, I am sorry to say, and I want a few things from Miss Trant before I go.  I suppose she will not raise her prices to me?”