he shook his head: "Very remiss of Parkin. I always tell him he loses
his head directly the party goes into double figures. We had to put off
dinner a quarter of an hour because of Kitty Bristol, who missed her
train at St. Pancras, and only arrived half an hour ago. By-the-way, I
suppose you have already seen her--at that woman's?"

"I met her a week or two ago, at Madame d'Estrées'," said Ashe,
apparently preoccupied with something wrong in the set of his white
waistcoat.

"What did you think of her?"

"A charming young lady," said Ashe, smiling. "What else should I think?"

"A lamb thrown to the wolves," said Lady Grosville, grimly. "How that
woman _could_ do such a thing!"

"I saw nothing lamblike about Lady Kitty," said Ashe. "And do you
include me among the wolves?"

Lady Grosville hesitated a moment, then stuck to her colors.

"You shouldn't go to such a house," she said, boldly--"I suppose I may
say that without offence, William, as I've known you from a boy."

"Say anything you like, my dear Lady Grosville! So you--believe evil
things--of Madame d'Estrées?"

His tone was light, but his eyes sought the distant door, as though
invoking some fellow-guest to appear and protect him.