Beyond the Rocks

Josiah looked in upon her as she finished dressing. He was, he said,

most pleased with everything, and if they were a little unused to such

company, still nothing could be more cordial than Sir Patrick's

treatment of him.

Meanwhile, on their way up to dress, Mildred had gone in to Morella's

room, and the two had agreed that Mrs. Brown should be suppressed.

It was with extra displeasure Miss Winmarleigh had learned of Theodora's

relationship to Sir Patrick, and that after all she could not be called

a common colonial.

There was no question about the Fitzgerald and Borringdon families,

unfortunately, while Morella's grandfather had been merely a coal

merchant.

"I don't think she is so wonderfully pretty, do you, Mildred?" she

said.

But Mildred was a clever woman, and could see with her eyes.

"Yes, I do," she answered. "Don't be such a fool as to delude yourself

about that, Morella. She is perfectly lovely, and she has the most

deevie Paris clothes, and Lord Bracondale is wildly in love with her."

"And apparently Freddy Wensleydown, too," snapped Morella, who was now

boiling with rage.

"Well, she is not likely to enjoy herself here," said Mildred, with her

vicious laugh, which showed all her splendid, sharp teeth, as she went

off to dress, her head full of plans for the interloper's suppression.

First she must have a few words with Barbara. There must be none of her

partisanship. Poor, timid Barbara would not dare to disobey her, she

knew. That settled, she did not fear that she would be able to make

Theodora suffer considerably during the five days she would be at

Beechleigh.

Sir Patrick was busy with some new arrivals who had come while they were

dressing, so not a soul spoke to Theodora or Josiah when they got down

to the great, white drawing-room, from which immensely high mahogany

doors opened into an anteroom hung with priceless tapestry and

containing cabinets of rare china. From thence another set of splendid

carved doors gave access to the dining-room.

Neither Lord Wensleydown or Hector was in the room at first, so there

was no man even to talk to them. Lady Ada had not introduced them to any

one. And there they stood: Josiah ill at ease and uncomfortable, and

Theodora quite apparently unconscious of neglect, while she looked at a

picture.

All the younger women were thinking to themselves: "Who are these

people? We don't want any strangers here--poaching on our preserves. And

what perfect clothes! and what pearls! Why on earth did Ada ask them?"