CHAPTER I.

'Do you expect that boy up here this morning, Nina?

'He said he should come at about eleven.'

For lawn-tennis, I suppose,' said Mrs. Hilton, with a little sarcasm in the tone of her voice.

Nina Carlyle lifted her pretty head, which had been bent over her work, and looked at her married sister with that innocent calmness which is the peculiar gift granted to clear blue eyes with thick brown lashes. Of course,' she answered; 'I really want practice, Cicely.'

"You have had plenty during the last week,' answered Mrs. Hilton. 'Gerald will find you wonderfully improved.'

'I hope so,' said Nina demurely; 'but he doesn't care much for tennis himself.'

Cicely made a little movement of impatience, and then burst out laughing. Nina did not laugh, but a smile crept to the corners of her lips.

'It's ridiculous talking in this way,' said Cicely. You know very well what I'm hinting at, so I may as well say it straight out. Why can't you leave poor Sidney Ansdell alone?'

'My dear Cicely, I'm not hurting him. If he likes to come up to

HOLIDAY, '80.

your house and play lawn-tennis with your sister, why should you be so inhospitable as to object? Considering I've come to stay with you for the first time after your marriage, you might as well try to make my visit pleasant.'

'It is only, how will Gerald like it?'

I'm not going to

'I don't care. deny myself every amusement that falls in my way because Gerald mayn't happen to like it. Besides, why on earth should Gerald object to my playing lawn-tennis?' 'It isn't that,' said Mrs. Hilton, with some spirit. But why on earth should not Gerald, seeing you are engaged to him, object to your flirting with Sidney Ansdell?'

There was a slight flush on Nina's cheek.

""Come, come, elder sister," she quoted. "You are too young in this." You only came out of Egypt, as Scud East says, you know, yourself last night, Cis. Don't look vexed, dear. I will be a good girl when Gerald comes down here; but I like Mr. Ansdell, and I don't see why I shouldn't be nice to him.'

'And very nice it will be for him, poor boy, when Gerald arrives and monopolises you.'

'He will get over it,' said Miss

B

Carlyle placidly. 'I fancy the poor boy, as you call him, is quite equal to taking care of himself.'

Here he is,' said Cicely, as a tall figure in a suit of gray dittos, with a racket in hand, appeared at the further end of the distant field, vaulted over the haha fence into the orchard, and so proceeded to where the sisters were sitting in the garden under the shadow of a tuliptree.

'So you have come at last,' said Miss Carlyle, holding out her hand, and glancing up at young Ansdell's pleasant frank face, with its good gray eyes and well-cut mouth. 'I mean to beat you this morning; for when Mr. Calthorp comes down here, we sha'n't be able to have so many games.'

What was it made her mention her future husband's name-her sister's lecture, or a sudden impulse of loyalty towards him, born from the knowledge which had just flashed upon her, that it was pleasant to her to look at Sidney Ansdell's winning face? Whatever had prompted her speech, she felt sorry for it as she saw Sidney's pained look of bitter remembrance.

If Nina were a flirt, as some people said, she was a very tenderhearted one; she hated to see people unhappy; she could not bear to see Sidney's troubled face without trying to bring back its sunshine.

'Now you have come,' she said, 'we will have a really good game, and waste no more time. I'll go and fetch my racket.'

With a bright smile she ran indoors, leaving Cicely and Sidney under the tulip-tree.

The little matron of four months' marriage was rather vexed by her sister's conduct; from her dignity of married woman Cicely looked on at the comedietta in which Nina was playing the leading part, and saw much which worried her.

Gerald Calthorp, the man to whom Nina was engaged, was an individual who would by no means be satisfied by a divided allegiance, and a quarrel between him and Nina would be most unfortunate, thought Mrs. Hilton. Mr. Calthorp, in the opinion of most people, was quite the ideal husband for a girl like Miss Carlyle. He was well born, handsome, cultured, rather gravely courteous in manner, with a very good fortune and a beautiful place in Hants; the very man to contrast picturesquely in marriage with Nina's quaint fitful grace, her sudden pretty changes of mood, always sweet, and her bright girlish beauty, as fresh and charming as the sunlit maybloom.

'It would be too horrid,' meditated Cicely, if, after Nina's actually winning a man like that, she were to lose him, just because she can't resist bewitching poor Sidney. And how the mother would scold me, and declare I wasn't fit to be trusted with Nina! She can't manage the girl herself; but she would blame me dreadfully if the engagement were broken off down here. Perhaps Gerald will be able to keep Nina in order. I fancy she is a little afraid of him. I'm sure I am,'

All this passed through Cicely's mind as she sat working on the lawn, looking very dainty and girlish in her white dress, with its ribbons of olive and pale pink, and quite ignoring the six feet of humanity who stood by her, troubled in mind as a moth might be who learns that the flame he is attracted by is about to be screened from his approach for the benefit of a man wishing to engross its light.

Cicely had almost forgotten his presence when suddenly he asked, 'Mrs. Hilton, is Mr. Calthorp coming to stay with you?'

'Yes; he comes next week.' She was really sorry for Sidney; he was the eldest son of a family who were very old friends of her husband's, and she was vexed that pain and sorrow should come to him through her sister. She liked him very much; if she had never seen or heard of Mr. Calthorp, might have wished no better amusement or employment than to throw him and Nina together; but as it was

Yet there was a sombre look in his eyes that troubled her ; it was so unhappy. She murmured something about having some more work to get from indoors; if Sidney waited, Nina would be out in a moment;' and then left him standing moodily by the tree in a very gloomy state of mind.

Entering the house Mrs. Hilton sought her sister, whom she found in the hall, fastening the ribbons of her tennis-shoes, and humming a tune she had caught up from Sidney. Cicely plucked up heart, and said abruptly,

6

Nina, that poor boy is very much in love with you.'

No answer. Nina's face was bent over her shoe; but Cicely saw that the girl's white neck grew rosy, and her severity increased.

'It isn't kind or fair to him to encourage him as you do. He will only be unhappy afterwards.'

Nina raised her head and looked full at her sister.

'Cicely,' she said, 'I won't be bullied because I don't like to see a person dull or wretched when I can make them otherwise.'

engaged to. I won't be tutored and lectured. I want to enjoy myself in my own way; and Gerald himself knows it, and trusts me, which is more than you seem inclined to do!'

Mrs. Hilton was so far provoked by her sister's mutinous speech as to use a weapon she had meant to keep in reserve.

You say Gerald Calthorp trusts you; at all events he seems to think you need looking after.'

Nina started and quivered ever so slightly; and there was a restive sparkle in her eyes as Cicely drew a letter from her pocket, saying,

'I heard from him this morning. I didn't tell you, because there was part of the letter I didn't like to show you; but I suppose I had better do so now.'

'You had much better have done so at first,' muttered Nina rebelliously, as she took the letter from Cicely's hand and read the page to which the latter pointed.

Mrs. Hilton was a little frightened at the effect of her proceeding. The girl read her lover's epistle without comment; but her cheeks grew a deep rose-colour, her blue eyes flashed, and her pretty lips were compressed. When she had finished the letter she folded it slowly and returned it to Cicely, saying,

Indeed! That is what he thinks, is it?'

Then she took up her racket, and, without another word, went out into the garden, leaving Cicely very doubtful whether she had not done more harm than good.

After a few moments' consideration Mrs. Hilton turned her steps towards her husband's study. Arthur Hilton was an author; he had been at the Bar; but, on inheriting a small estate from an elder brother, he had thrown up the Bar and settled himselfin the pretty old-fashioned house to which, four