I often used to long for adventures in the old days with Mrs. Carruthers,
and here I am really having them!

Such a situation! I am sure people would think it most improper! I alone
in the house with these three men! I felt I really would have to go--but
where?

Meanwhile I have every intention of amusing myself.

Lord Robert and I seemed to have a hundred things to say to each other. I
do like his voice--and he is so perfectly _sans gêne_ it makes no
difficulties. By the end of tea we were as old friends. Mr. Carruthers got
more and more polite and stiff, and finally jumped up and hurried his
guest off to the smoking-room.

I put on such a duck of a frock for dinner--one of the sweetest,
chastened simplicity, in black, showing peeps of skin through the thin
part at the top. Nothing could be more demure or becoming, and my hair
would not behave, and stuck out in rebellious waves and curls everywhere.

I thought it would be advisable not to be in too good time, so sauntered
down after I knew dinner was announced.

They were both standing on the hearth-rug. I always forget to count Mr.
Barton; he was in some chair, I suppose, but I did not notice him.

Mr. Carruthers is the taller--about one inch. He must be a good deal over
six feet, because the other one is very tall, too; but now that one saw
them together, Mr. Carruthers's figure appeared stiff and set besides Lord