When at length they arrived there and had entered by the wooden gate, the semicircular carriage-drive, lit by two solitary lamps, and the front of the house itself, half-hidden among the black trees, seemed somewhat sombre and repellent at this silent hour of the morning; but they found a more cheerful radiance streaming out from the hall-door, which had been left open for them; and when they went into the large dining-room, where the ladies had already assembled, there was no lack of either light or color there, for all the candles were ablaze, and the long table was brilliant with silver and Venetian glass and flowers.  And, indeed, this proved to be a very merry and talkative supper-party; for, as soon as supper was served, the servants were sent off to bed; Lord Rockminster constituted himself butler, and Percy Lestrange handed round the pheasants’ eggs and asparagus and such things; so that there was no alien ear in the room.  Lionel Moore, being less familiar with the house, was exempted from these duties; in truth, it was rather the women-folk who waited upon him—­and petted him as he was used to be petted, wherever that fortunate young man happened to go.

However, it was not supper that was chiefly occupying the attention of this band of eager chatterers (from whom the silent Lord Rockminster, walking gravely round the table with a large jug of champagne-cup in his hand, must honorably be distinguished), it was the contemplated production of a little musical entertainment called “The Chaplet,” by Dr. Boyce, which they were about to attempt, out-of-doors, on some afternoon still to be fixed, and before a select concourse of friends.  And the most vivacious of the talkers was the red-headed and merry-eyed young maiden in blue silver and brocade, who seemed incapable of keeping her rosebud of a mouth closed for more than a minute at a time.

“I do think it’s awfully hard on me,” she was protesting.  “Look how I’m handicapped!  Everybody knows that Pastora was played by Kitty Olive; and everybody will say, ’That Lestrange girl has cheek, hasn’t she? thinks she can play Kitty Olive’s parts!’ And you know Pastora is always calling attention to her fascinating appearance.”

“Georgie, you’re fishing for compliments!” the young matron said, severely.

“No, I’m not, Adela,” said Miss Lestrange, who, indeed, looked as charming as any Kitty Olive could ever have done.  “Then there’s another thing:  fancy my having to sing a duet with Mr. Moore!  It’s all very well for you to sing a song off your own bat—­”

“That would be difficult, Georgie,” Lady Adela observed.

“Oh, you know what I mean.  But when you come to sing in conjunction with an artist like Mr. Moore, what then?  They will say it is mere presumption, when my little squeak of a voice gets drowned altogether.”

“If you give any weight to a professional opinion, Miss Lestrange,” the young baritone said, “I can assure you you sing your part in that duet—­or in anything else I’ve heard you sing—­very well indeed.  Very well indeed.”