and brought into prominence the bright hues of the ladies' gowns and
the sparkling crystal and silver on the dinner table.

At the head of the table sat Lord Severn, a hale, hearty old gentleman
of seventy. He was devoted to fox-hunting, and always ready to get up
at five o'clock in the morning when a good run was in prospect. His wife
sat opposite him. She was a beautiful old lady, her face clear-cut as a
cameo. Her features were regular, and her bright black eyes flashed under
her high intellectual forehead with a brilliancy a girl of sixteen might
have envied. Her hair was snowy white, and rolled back _à la pompadour_.

To-night she was dressed in a gown of heliotrope satin, trimmed with
white point lace, and here and there in her hair and gown she wore pins
made of the Severn diamonds. Round her neck glistened a magnificent
necklace of these gems, which were of world-wide fame, having been given
to Lord Severn by an Indian rajah as a recompense for saving him from
drowning.

Lady Severn had been talking about her celebrated guest, who was not at
dinner this evening.

"I am sorry you have not met Mademoiselle Laurentia; unfortunately she
has been suffering for the last two days with a very severe nervous
headache, and to-night did not feel inclined to come to dinner. However,
I hope later on she will be better, and able to sing for you. Before
dinner she went out into the garden, thinking the cool air would do her
head good."

"Yes, I am very anxious to meet her," replied Lady Margaret, "and Noël
is, for him, quite excited about her, coming as she does from Canada."