deferential, half satirical; and Raymond said, "Cecil, I believe it
rests with you to make the move." An ingenuous girlish blush
mantled on her cheek as she looked towards Rosamond and moved.

The drawing-room adjoined the dining-room, and likewise had a glass
door leading into the conservatory; but this, like the other
windows, was concealed by the pale-blue damask curtains that
descended from cornices gilded like the legs of the substantial
chairs and sofas. There was, however, no lack of modern light cane
and basket seats round the fire, and it looked cheery and
comfortable. Rosamond put an arm round Anne's waist--"Poor tired
dear, come and lie on the sofa."

"Oh no, I couldn't. The gentlemen will come in."

"All brothers! What, will you only be satisfied with an easy-chair!
A charming room, and a charming fire!"

"Not so nice as a library," said Cecil, stabbing the fire with the
poker as a sort of act of possession. "We always sit in the library
at Dunstone. State rooms are horrid."

"This only wants to be littered down," said Rosamond. "That's my
first task in fresh quarters, banishing some things and upsetting
the rest, and strewing our own about judiciously. There are the
inevitable wax-flowers. I have regular blarney about their being so
lovely, that it would just go to my heart to expose them to the
boys."

"You have always been on the move," said Cecil, who was standing by