"O Edward! how could you?" she exclaimed reproachfully, tears of
disappointment and vexation springing to her eyes.

"Darling, I really could not help it," he replied soothingly, drawing
her to him with a caress, and went on to tell exactly what had occurred.

"She is not a real lady," said Zoe, "or she never would have done a
thing like that."

"I agree with you, love," he said; "but I was sorry your reception of
her was so extremely ungracious and cold."

"Would you have had me play the hypocrite, Ned?" she asked indignantly.

"No, Zoe, I should be very far from approving of that," he answered
gravely: "but while it was right and truthful not to express pleasure
which you did not feel, at her coming, you might, on the other hand,
have avoided absolute rudeness; you might have shaken hands with her,
and asked after her health and that of her father's family."

"I treated her as well as she deserved; and it does not make her any the
more welcome to me, that she has already been the means of drawing down
upon me a reproof from my husband's lips," Zoe said in tremulous tones,
and turning away from him with her eyes full of tears.

"My words were hardly intended as that, little wife," Edward responded
in a kindly tone, following her into the hall, catching her in his arms,
and imprinting a kiss on her ruby lips.

"And I wanted my drive with you so badly," she murmured, half hiding her