colours."

"I shall wear it on Monday. Lord Hartledon gave it to me."

A rash avowal. The competitors, in a sort of joke, had each given away
one knot of his own colours. Lady Maude had had three given to her; but
she was looking for another worth them all--from Lord Hartledon. And
now--it was given, it appeared, to Anne Ashton! For her very life she
could not have helped the passionate taunt that escaped from her, not in
words, but in tone:

"To _you_!"

"Kissing goes by favour," broke from the delicate lips of Val Elster, and
Lady Maude could have struck him for the significant, saucy expression of
his violet-blue eyes. "Edward loves Anne better than he ever loved his
sisters; and for any other love--_that's_ still far enough from his
heart, Maude."

She had recovered herself instantly; cried out "Yes" to those in the
distance, as if she heard a call, and went away humming a tune.

"Val, she loves your brother," whispered Anne.

"Do you think so? I do sometimes; and again I'm puzzled. She acts well
if she does. The other day I told Edward she was in love with him: he
laughed at me, and said I was dreaming; that if she had any love for him,
it was cousin's love. What's more, Anne, he would prefer not to receive
any other; so Maude need not look after him: it will be labour lost. Here
comes that restless old dowager down upon us! I shall leave you to her,