Never shall I forget that Christmastide.

Its shadow has fallen on every Christmas since then.

And, in the innocent insolence of our hearts, we had planned such a merry one.

It was the first since our marriage that we were spending at Northlands, for like dutiful folk we had hitherto spent the two or three festival days in the solid London house of Barbara's parents.

Her father, Sir Edward Kennion, retired Permanent Secretary of a Government Office, was a courtly gentleman with a faultless taste in old china and wine, and Lady Kennion a charming old lady almost worthy of being the mother of Barbara.