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him when we leave your house tonight。〃
〃You will do nothing of the sort； if you please。 Wait till you are sixteen。
I delight in novelty； but the novelty of appearing at the Old Bailey is
beyond my ambition。 Is the brute coming to…night？〃
〃Of course。 He insists on following me wherever I go。 He lunched at
Muswell Hill today。 More complaints of my incomprehensible coldness to
him。 Another scolding from papa。 A furious letter from Launce。 If I let
Richard kiss my hand again in his presence； Launce warns me he will
knock him down。 Oh； the meanness and the guiltiness of the life I am
leading now！ I am in the falsest of all false positions； Louisa； and you
encouraged me to do it。 I believe Richard Turlington suspects us。 The last
two times Launce and I tried to get a minute together at my aunt's； he
contrived to put himself in our way。 There he was； my dear； with his
scowling face； looking as if he longed to kill Launce。 Can you do anything
for us tonight？ Not on my account。 But Launce is so impatient。 If he can't
say two words to me alone this evening； he declares he will come to
Muswell Hill； and catch me in the garden tomorrow。〃
〃Compose yourself； my dear； he shall say his two words to…night。〃
〃How？〃
Lady Winwood pointed through the curtained entrance of the boudoir
to the door of the drawing…room。 Beyond the door was the staircase
landing。 And beyond the landing was a second drawing… room； the smaller
of the two。
〃There are only three or four people coming to dinner；〃 her ladyship
proceeded； 〃and a few more in the evening。 Being a small party； the small
drawing…room will do for us。 This drawing…room will not be lighted； and
there will be only my reading…lamp here in the boudoir。 I shall give the
signal for leaving the dining…room earlier than usual。 Launce will join us
before the evening party begins。 The moment he appears； send him in
hereboldly before your aunt and all of us。〃
〃For what？〃
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Miss or Mrs。？
〃For your fan。 Leave it there under the sofa…cushion before we go
down to dinner。 You will sit next to Launce； and you will give him private
instructions not to find the fan。 You will get impatientyou will go to find
it yourselfand there you are。 Take care of your shoulders； Mrs。 Linzie！ I
have nothing more to say。〃
The guests asked to dinner began to arrive。 Lady Winwood was
recalled to her duties as mistress of the house。
It was a pleasant little dinnerwith one drawback。 It began too late。
The ladies only reached the small drawing…room at ten minutes to ten。
Launce was only able to join them as the clock struck。
〃Too late！〃 whispered Natalie。 〃He will be here directly。〃
〃Nobody comes punctually to an evening party；〃 said Launce。 〃Don't
let us lose a moment。 Send me for your fan。〃
Natalie opened her lips to say the necessary words。 Before she could
speak； the servant announced〃Mr。 Turlington。〃
He came in； with his stiffly…upright shirt collar and his loosely…fitting
glossy black clothes。 He made his sullen and clumsy bow to Lady
Winwood。 And then he did； what he had done dozens of times alreadyhe
caught Natalie； with her eyes still bright and her face still animated （after
talking to Launce）a striking contrast to the cold and unimpulsive young
lady whom he was accustomed to see while Natalie was talking to _him_。
Lord Winwood's daughters were persons of some celebrity in the
world of amateur music。 Noticing the look that Turlington cast at Launce；
Lady Winwood whispered to Miss Laviniawho instantly asked the young
ladies to sing。 Launce； in obedience to a sign from Natalie； volunteered to
find the music…books。 It is needless to add that he pitched on the wrong
volume at starting。 As he lifted it from the piano to take it back to the
stand； there dropped out from between the leaves a printed letter； looking
like a circular。 One of the young ladies took it up； and ran her eye over it；
with a start。
〃The Sacred Concerts！〃 she exclaimed。
Her two sisters； standing by； looked at each other guiltily： 〃What will
the Committee say to us？ We entirely forgot the meeting last month。〃
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Miss or Mrs。？
〃Is there a meeting this month？〃
They all looked anxiously at the printed letter。
〃Yes！ The twenty…third of December。 Put it down in your book；
Amelia。〃 Amelia； then and there； put it down among the engagements for
the latter end of the month。 And Natalie's unacknowledged husband
placidly looked on。
So did the merciless irony of circumstances make Launce the innocent
means of exposing his own secret to discovery。 Thanks to his success in
laying his hand on the wrong music…book； there would now be a meeting
two good days before the elopement could take placebetween the lord's
daughters and the rector's wife！
The guests of the evening began to appear by twos and threes。 The
gentlemen below stairs left the dinner…table； and joined them。
The small drawing…room was pleasantly filled； and no more。 Sir
Joseph Graybrooke； taking Turlington's hand； led him eagerly to their host。
The talk in the dining…room had turned on finance。 Lord Winwood was not
quite satisfied with some of his foreign investments； and Sir Joseph's 〃dear
Richard〃 was the very man to give him a little sound advice。 The three laid
their heads together in a corner。 Launce （watching them） slyly pressed
Natalie's hand。 A renowned 〃virtuoso〃 had arrived； and was thundering on
the piano。 The attention of the guests generally was absorbed in the
performance。 A fairer chance of sending Launce for the fan could not
possibly have offered itself。 While the financial discussion was still
proceeding； the married lovers were ensconced together alone in the
boudoir。
Lady Winwood （privately observant of their absence） kept her eye on
the corner； watching Richard Turlington。
He was talking earnestlywith his back toward the company。 He
neither moved nor looked round。 It came to Lord Winwood's turn to speak。
H