CHAPTER XXIII.
A QUESTION OF HONOUR "Your Great-aunt Rachel is dead, Roger." Lady Gertrude made this announcement the following morning at breakfast.

In her hand she held the letter which contained the news--written in an old-fashioned, sloping style of penmanship on thin, heavily black-bordered note-paper.

No one made any reply unless a sympathetic murmur from Isobel could be construed as such.
"Cousin Emily writes that the funeral is to take place next Thursday," pursued Lady Gertrude, referring to the letter she held.

"We shall have to attend it, of course." "Must we ?" asked Roger, with obvious lack of enthusiasm.

"I haven't seen her for at least five years." "I know." The reply came so sharply that it was evident he had touched upon a sore subject.