"Only the lightning," muttered Kate.

"Oh! I was not certain whether your intention might not have been to
make that polite address to an aquatic bird, for which you pronounced
Mary not to have sufficient courage!"

Lady de la Poer, thinking this a hard trial of the poor child's
temper, was just going to ask him not to tease her; but Kate was
really candid and good tempered, and she said, "I was wrong to say
that! It was Mary that had presence of mind, and I had not."

"Then the fruit of the adventure is to be, I hope, Look Before you
Leap!--Eh, Lady Caergwent?"

And at the same time the train stopped, and among kisses and
farewells, Kate and kind Lady de la Poer left the carriage, and
entering the brougham that was waiting for them, drove to Bruton
Street; Kate very grave and silent all the way, and shrinking behind
her friend in hopes that the servant who opened the door would not
observe her plight--indeed, she took her hat off on the stairs, and
laid it on the table in the landing.

To her surprise, the beginning of what Lady de la Poer said was
chiefly apology for not having taken better care of her. It was all
quite true: there was no false excuse made for her, she felt, when
Aunt Barbara looked ashamed and annoyed, and said how concerned she
was that her niece should be so unmanageable; and her protector
answered,