My good little girl shall not drift into a false position while I am living to look after her.

When Mr.Hardyman calls to-morrow she shall be out on an errand.

When he calls the next time she shall be upstairs with a headache.

And if he tries it again she shall be away at my house in the country.

If he makes any remarks on her absence--well, he will find that I can be just as dull of understanding as he is when the occasion calls for it." Having arrived at this satisfactory solution of the difficulty, Lady Lydiard became conscious of an irresistible impulse to summon Isabel to her presence and caress her.