“This is Kitty,” said Phillida. “She is really making herself useful.”

“I hope you like it in the country, Kitty,” I said.

“Oh yes, ma’am,” she replied.

And that was all.

Roland returned that evening. I had missed him even in that short time. I told him this and it delighted him.

At dinner he explained that there had been quite an accumulation at the office. The clerk had had to leave a good many matters for him to attend to; and he thought he would have to go up for a short spell... perhaps four or five days. “I suppose you’ll be hard at it all day and half the night,” said Phillida. “I know you work in an erratic fashion and seem to take a lot of time off.” She turned to me. “But when he works he works.”

“She’s right,” said Roland. “That is how it goes. It’s spasmodic in a way. But I really must go soon. In a day or so ... I think on Monday... and I shall probably be up for the whole week.”

“As long as it is no more we’ll allow it,” said Phillida. “Lucie and I will be counting the days till your return.”

“Can’t we go with you?” I asked.

Roland hesitated and Phillida said, “Well, from experience, I know it will be better for him to get the work done quickly. He’d be worrying about us all the time if we went. It would take two or three weeks instead of not quite one. You go on Monday, Roland, and then you can be back by Friday and we can all have a lovely carefree weekend.”

He was hesitating, looking at me apologetically.

“I think it’s for Roland to decide,” I said.

“Well,” he replied, with reluctance in his voice. “I suppose Phillida is right. Perhaps it’s better to get on with it quickly... without distractions... very welcome ones, I hasten to say. But this does need a great deal of concentration and I shall be working all hours.”

“Go and come back soon then,” I said.

“It’s settled then.” Roland sounded gloomy.

“It will soon pass,” I assured him.

Phillida came to our room that night with glasses of her special beverage.

“Now did you feel the benefit last night?” she asked.

We looked at each other and smiled.

“Oh, come on,” she said. “Of course you did. I know, I tell you. I’ve studied these things. This is good for you. It’s got all the ingredients on the packet and they all have special virtues. And, promise me, Roland, when you are in London, you will take it. I shall make you take some with you and I shall want your solemn promise.”

“All right, I promise.”

She was looking at him quizzically.

“Do you want him to swear on the Bible?” I asked.

“My dear Lucie, if he promises me, he will do it. My brother is a man of honor. Now, drink up like good children.”

“We are not good children,” said Roland. “At least we are not children.”

“I know I can be a fussy old hen. But you see, I love you both so much, and I have missed you, and now I have you back. And Roland is going away!”

“Never mind,” said Roland. “You will still have Lucie to coddle.”

She flew at us and kissed us both, her eyes misty.

“My dears,” she said, “I love you both so much.”

We drank our beverages which were really rather pleasant and, as she had on the previous night, she took the tray away and left us.

After the weekend Roland left for London. I knew that I was going to miss him for there was no doubt in my mind now of the deep affection he had aroused in me. It was not what I had felt for Joel. I supposed I had been innocent and romantic when I had fallen in love with him. This was a more sober affection. I felt peaceful with Roland; and I realized that this was what I had needed for so long. I had written to Rebecca telling her how I felt, for I could open my heart to her. She replied at once and said how happy she was for me. She was sure I had done the right thing and had known as soon as she had seen Roland that he was the one for me.

I spent a lot of time with Phillida. She was very interested in every subject raised and she wanted to hear all about the places we had visited in Italy. We went to the library-my father had built up quite an extensive one at Manor Grange-and there we were about to find some references to Naples, Pompeii and Amalfi. Phillida said how wonderful it would be if we could all go back there together. “But you might not want there to be the three of us,” she said a little wistfully. “Of course I should love it,” I assured her. “And so would Roland. As a matter of fact, while we were in Italy, we were constantly talking of you and Roland was always saying, ‘Wouldn’t Phillida have liked this?’ “

“Sometimes I worry about it. I wonder whether I ought to get away... get a place of my own. It seems unfair to you two... always to have me tagging along with you.”

“Will you please put such nonsense out of your head?”

“Oh, Lucie, I’m so glad Roland married you.”

I asked how Kitty was getting on.

“Oh, quite well. She’s got a skin like a rhinoceros. It’s a good thing. She doesn’t notice the occasional barb sent in her direction.”

“Barb?”

“From the dragon, Mrs. Emery. I don’t think the lady likes Kitty very much ... and it’s not Kitty’s fault. It’s mine really ... for bringing her in like that. But she was a sort of maid to me and it didn’t occur to me that I ought to have consulted the oracle.” I sighed. “Oh, that little upset!”

“Did she speak to you about it?”

“Yes, she did. Very ceremoniously, over a cup of her special Darjeeling which is only brought out for special occasions. Apparently it was an offense against protocol to bring a servant into the house without prior consultation with an Emery.”

“The fault was entirely mine. Should I apologize to Mrs. Emery?”

I hesitated. “It might not come amiss. It might even set the matter right. All Mrs. Emery wants is recognition of her status.”

“I’ll do that and be as tactful and respectful as I can.”

We laughed together.

That night she brought up what she called my nightcap and we sat talking while I drank it. It had become a ritual.

I missed Roland very much during the days which followed. I was looking forward to his return and I thought that, next time he went to London, I would go with him. I could find plenty to do there while he was working. I could go to see Celeste and shop. I would suggest it to him when he returned.

One night it was Kitty who brought my nightcap.

She was a big woman with strong, capable hands, I noticed; she was deferential, speaking only when spoken to, which was a trait in her favor.

I thought I ought to have a little chat with her, however, and as she set the glass down on the table, I said, “Oh, it’s you, Kitty.”

“Yes, ma’am. Miss Fitzgerald said to bring it up.”

“Thank you. Are you settling in all right?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“It must be a little different from London.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I could see that I was not going to learn very much from her, so I said good night.

I almost forgot to drink the nightcap since Phillida was not there to talk to me while I did so.

I quickly drained the glass and put it on the tray to be collected in the morning.

Roland had been three days in London. He will soon be home, I kept telling myself. I had been out riding, as I so liked to do. Phillida had not come with me on this occasion, and when I returned to the house one of the maids dashed out to tell me that a visitor was waiting for me with Miss Fitzgerald in the drawing room. I went there and, to my surprise, Belinda rose and came toward me.

“Hello, Lucie,” she said. “I’ve come to see you.”

“So I see. How lovely! What a surprise! Are you well?”

“Oh, yes,” she replied, but I knew at once that something was wrong. There was a subdued air about her; and I asked myself, why should she have come, if she did not want something?

“Miss Fitzgerald told me how wonderfully you are settling in here and what a marvelous honeymoon you had.”

“I’ve also been telling her that she should have brought her husband,” said Phillida.

“Yes,” I said. “Why didn’t you?”

“Oh, he’s got some business to attend to ... on the estate, of course. And I thought I’d snatch a day or so to see how you were getting along.”

“You are going to stay a little while, I hope.”

“If I may... just for a few days.”

“Of course. We’ll be delighted to have you, won’t we, Phillida?”

“But of course. Roland will be disappointed if you don’t stay. He’s not due back until Friday or maybe Saturday. But you will stay as long as that, won’t you?”

“I ... I don’t know. I’ll have to see....”

I guessed she was desperately wanting to be alone with me.

I said, “I think we’ll put you in the Red Room. I’ll go and see Mrs. Emery.”

“I’ll do that,” said Phillida, and hesitated.

“Perhaps I’d better,” I said quickly.

Phillida understood. Although she had spoken to Mrs. Emery about bringing Kitty into the house, Mrs. Emery’s attitude toward her was still somewhat frosty where Phillida was concerned.

“Shall I go and tell her you want to see her?” suggested Phillida.

“Yes, please, do that. And will you tell one of the maids to get the room ready?”

Phillida left us together.

“What’s the matter, Belinda?” I asked.

“Something terrible.”

“Well, you’d better tell me.”

“But Mrs. Emery will be here in a minute.”

“Let’s get your room settled and then we can be alone and talk.”

It was not long before Mrs. Emery appeared.

“Well,” she cried, “if it’s not Miss Belinda. I beg your pardon... Lady Denver, I should say.”

“It is,” said Belinda. She went to Mrs. Emery and kissed her.

It was not quite protocol but entirely forgivable, and Mrs. Emery looked pleased.

“Well, it’s nice to see you, Miss Be-your ladyship.”

“Miss Belinda to you always,” said Belinda. “Belinda, the wicked one.”

“Well, you could be a bit naughty. I’m not denying that. But it’s nice to see you here. Like old times... Miss Lucie and you together.”

“Belinda is going to stay for a few days, Mrs. Emery.”

“Well, that’s nice.”

“Yes, isn’t it? I thought the Red Room.”

“I’ll make sure it’s all put to rights. Well, I must say, it’s a pleasure.” When she went out, Belinda looked at me and I thought she was going to burst into tears.

“Do tell me, Belinda.”

“I can’t here... someone might come in.”

“They’ll soon have your room ready. You know where it is. It’s close to ours.”

“The Bridal Suite?”

“Call it that if you like.”

“It’s the best bedroom in the house, with that balcony looking down on the garden.”

“You don’t forget the old house then, Belinda?”

“How could I ever? I wish they’d hurry up with that room.”

“Mrs. Emery will tell us when it is ready. Would you like a drink... some refreshment?”

“I couldn’t eat a thing.”

“Is Bobby all right?”

“Yes, and it’s true, he is rather busy on that old estate. There are always people coming and he rides round and attends to everything. He’s very keen on the estate. It’s been in the family for generations and all that... a solemn duty to carry on....”

“And what about you, Belinda? Aren’t you happy?”

“I was.”

“You mean you’re not now?”

“I tell you, I can’t talk to you here.”

“It’s all right, isn’t it ... with you and Bobby?”

She nodded. “It’s just that I’m afraid ... I want to keep it right, I do really.”

“Well, why shouldn’t you?”

“I keep telling you, I can’t talk now.”

It seemed a long time before Mrs. Emery came in.

She said, “The Red Room has been prepared now, Miss Belinda, your ladyship. I think you’ll be very comfortable up there.”

“Oh, thank you, Mrs. Emery,” said Belinda.

“I must say, you’re looking beautiful, Miss Belinda. Married life suits you. Miss Lucie, too. I was saying to Mr. Emery how nice it is to see Miss Lucie a married woman... and now there’s you, Miss Belinda.”

“We do you credit then, Mrs. Emery,” said Belinda.

Mrs. Emery laughed and shook her head. “You were always a caution, Miss Belinda.

We never knew what you’d be up to next.”

“No,” I said. “That’s true. Well, let’s get you to the Red Room. Is Belinda’s case up there?”

“Yes, it is,” replied Mrs. Emery.

“Well, I’ll take her up now.”