"Then you'll have to let me go without you?"

"Which, of course, was what you swore not to do!" she said, provokingly.
"I thought my wife was a reasonable woman! Lady Dunstable rouses all my
powers; she gives me ideas which may be most valuable. It is to the
interest of both of us that I should keep up my friendship with her."

"Then keep it up," said Doris, her cheeks aflame. "But you won't want
me to help you, Arthur."

He cried out that it was only pride and conceit that made her behave so.
In her heart of hearts, Doris mostly agreed with him. But she wouldn't
confess it, and it was presently understood between them that Meadows
would duly accept the Dunstables' invitation for August, and that Doris
would stay behind.

After which, Doris looked steadily out of the window for the rest of the
journey, and could not at all conceal from herself that she had never
felt more miserable in her life. The only person in the trio who
returned to the Kensington house entirely happy was Jane, who spent the
greater part of the day in describing to Martha, the cook-general, the
glories of Crosby Ledgers, and her own genteel appearance in Mrs.
Meadows's blouse.




PART II