"Phew! that was sharp, short, and decisive," said Ormonde.

"Yes, wasn't it? She is quite a character. Leave her to me if you wish
her to go. I will manage it."

"Yes, do. She is something fresh, though she is not so handsome as I
thought. I suspect there is a strong dash of the devil in her."

"I cannot say _I_ have seen much of it," said the young widow, frankly.
She was extremely shrewd in a small way, and had adopted an air of
candid good-nature as best suited to her style and complexion. "Handsome
or not, if you would like to have her at your party, I will try to
persuade her to come."

"Thanks. What a little brick you are!" said Ormonde, admiringly. "No
nonsense with you, or trying to keep a pretty girl out of it. I say,
Mrs. Liddell, it must be an awful life for you, shut up in this stuffy
suburban box?"

"Well, it is not cheerful; but I have no choice, so I just make the best
of it," she returned, with as bright a smile as she could muster. "No
use spoiling one's eyes or one's temper over the inevitable. Then I am
really fond of my mother-in-law, poor soul! She would spoil me if she
had the means; and Katherine--well, she isn't bad."

"By George! if you make your mother-in-law fond of you, you must be an
angel incarnate."

"An angel!" echoed the little lady. "That would never do. No, no; it is