played and sang to her, read to her, talked to her in her bright, lively
way, superintended her dress, so that I always saw my darling
exquisitely attired; and yet I could not see that Clare liked her.

She soon made herself almost indispensable. She gave orders to the
housekeeper and cook, she managed everything; she received our visitors
and entertained them with marvelous grace and courtesy; she understood
all the affairs of the estate; in fact, she was, to all intents and
purposes, mistress of the house.

I insisted upon making her a very handsome allowance, which, after a
little resistance, she accepted.

For a time everything went on most prosperously. How I loved my new life
no words of mine can tell. The luxury of having plenty of money, of
being able to do what I liked with my time, of seeing my sister so
happy, of being altogether without those dark fears for the future which
so often beset those whose lot is hard work and very limited means--I
thanked God for it all.

I had made the acquaintance of most of the tenants on the estate, and my
neighbors had begun to call upon me. It was surprising how every one
liked, or, I may say, loved, my sister Clare. That invalid couch of hers
became a kind of center of society.

One morning I saw some cards lying on the hall table. Coralie was
standing near when I took them up. "Sir John Thesiger," "Lady Thesiger."

"That is a new name," I said to mademoiselle.