’He said, if he might clear them he should be happy!

‘In exquisite language, Carry, of course.’

‘No; just as others talk.’

‘Hum!’ went the Countess, and issued again brightly from a cloud of reflection, with the remark:  ’It was to seem business-like—­the commerciality of the English mind.  To the point—­I know.  Well, you perceive, my sweetest, that Evan’s interests are in your hands.  You dare not quit the field.  In one week, I fondly trust, he will be secure.  What more did his Grace say?  May we not be the repository of such delicious secresies?’

Caroline gave tremulous indications about the lips, and the Countess jumped to the bell and rang it, for they were too near dinner for the trace of a single tear to be permitted.  The bell and the appearance of Conning effectually checked the flood.

While speaking to her sister, the Countess had hesitated to mention George Uplift’s name, hoping that, as he had no dinner-suit, he would not stop to dinner that day, and would fall to the charge of Lady Racial once more.  Conning, however, brought in a sheet of paper on which the names of the guests were written out by Harry, a daily piece of service he performed for the captivating dame, and George Uplift’s name was in the list.

‘We will do the rest, Conning-retire,’ she said, and then folding Caroline in her arms, murmured, the moment they were alone, ’Will my Carry dress her hair plain to-day, for the love of her Louisa?’

‘Goodness! what a request!’ exclaimed Caroline, throwing back her head to see if her Louisa could be serious.

‘Most inexplicable—­is it not?  Will she do it?’

‘Flat, dear?  It makes a fright of me.’

‘Possibly.  May I beg it?’

‘But why, dearest, why?  If I only knew why!’

‘For the love of your Louy.’

‘Plain along the temples?’

‘And a knot behind.’

‘And a band along the forehead?’

‘Gems, if they meet your favour.’

‘But my cheek-bones, Louisa?’

‘They are not too prominent, Carry.’

‘Curls relieve them.’

‘The change will relieve the curls, dear one.’

Caroline looked in the glass, at the Countess, as polished a reflector, and fell into a chair.  Her hair was accustomed to roll across her shoulders in heavy curls.  The Duke would find a change of the sort singular.  She should not at all know herself with her hair done differently:  and for a lovely woman to be transformed to a fright is hard to bear in solitude, or in imagination.

‘Really!’ she petitioned.

‘Really—­yes, or no?’ added the Countess.

‘So unaccountable a whim!’ Caroline looked in the glass dolefully, and pulled up her thick locks from one cheek, letting them fall on the instant.

‘She will?’ breathed the Countess.

‘I really cannot,’ said Caroline, with vehemence.