“Ah! Now I am happy! ’Tis sweet of you, Dicky, but confess you are secretly thankful to be rid of me for a week! Now are you not?” She spread out her fan in the highest good-humour and coquetted behind it. Richard was induced to smile.

“I fear I shall miss you too sadly, dear.”

“Oh!” She dropped the fan. “But think how you will look forward to seeing me again, and I you. Why, I shall be so thankful to be back after a week away, that I shall be good for months!”

His face lightened, and he caught her hands in his.

“Darling, if I thought you would miss me⁠—”

“But of course I shall miss you, Dick⁠—oh, pray , mind my frock! Shall I not miss him, Tracy?”

Richard suddenly remembered his brother-in-law’s presence. He turned and went to the foot of the stairs.