with her aunt--Lady Grosville."

Ashe made some polite comment.

"Oh! don't let's be conventional!" said Madame d'Estrées, flirting her
fan with a little air of weariness--"It's an odious arrangement. Lady
Grosville and I, as you probably know, are not on terms. She says
atrocious things of me--and I--" the fair head fell back a little, and
the white shoulders rose, with the slightest air of languid
disdain--"well, bear me witness that I don't retaliate! It's not worth
while. But I know that Grosville House can help Kitty. So!--" Her
gesture, half ironical, half resigned, completed the sentence.

"Does Lady Kitty like society?"

"Kitty likes anything that flatters or excites her."

"Then of course she likes society. Anybody as pretty as that--"

"Ah! how sweet of you!" said Madame d'Estrées, softly--"how sweet of
you! I like you to think her pretty. I like you to say so."

Ashe felt and looked a trifle disconcerted, but his companion bent
forward and added--"I don't know whether I want you to flirt with her!
You must take care. Kitty's the most fantastic creature. Oh! my life
now'll be very different. I find she takes all my thoughts and most of
my time!"

There was something extravagant in the sweetness of the smile which
emphasized the speech, and altogether, Madame d'Estrées, in this new