Now she calls and asks us to luncheon in the same afternoon.
Either she took too little notice of us before, or she takes too much now--don't you think so ?" Marcella was silent a moment.

Should she confess?
It began to occur to her for the first time that in her wild independence she had been taking liberties with her mother.
"Mamma!" "Yes." "I asked Mr.Aldous Raeburn the other day whether everybody here was going to cut us! Papa told me that Lord Maxwell had written him an uncivil letter and--" "You--asked--Mr.Raeburn--" said Mrs.Boyce, quickly.

"What do you mean ?" Marcella turned round and met the flash of her mother's eyes.
"I couldn't help it," she said in a low hurried voice.

"It seemed so horrid to feel everybody standing aloof--we were walking together--he was very kind and friendly--and I asked him to explain." "I see!" said Mrs.Boyce.

"And he went to his aunt--and she went to Lady Winterbourne--they were compassionate--and there are the cards.