Mary Abbott, reluctant to converse on things that regarded herself, afforded Alma every opportunity of shining.  She knew of Mrs. Rolfe’s skill as a musician, and this same evening uttered a hope that she might hear her play.  The violin came forth from its retirement.  Playing, it seemed at first, without much earnestness, as though it were but a pastime, Alma presently chose one of her pageant pieces, and showed of what she was capable.  Lack of practice had told upon her hand, but the hearers were uncritical, as she well knew.

‘That’s magnificent,’ said Harvey, with a mischievous smile.  ’But do condescend now to the primitive ear.  Let us have something of less severity.’

Alma glanced at Mrs. Abbott, who had softly murmured her thanks; then turned an eye upon her husband, saying wickedly, ‘Home, Sweet Home?’

’I’ve no doubt you could play it wonderfully —­ as you would “Three Blind Mice".’

Alma looked good-natured disdain, and chose next a Tarantelle of Schubert.  The exertion of playing brought warm colour into her face; it heightened her beauty, and she was conscious of it; so that when she chanced to find Mrs. Abbott’s look fixed upon her, a boundless gratification flashed from her own dark eyes, and spoke in the quiver of her lips.

Next evening, when again requested to play, she sat down to the piano.  On this instrument Alma had not the same confidence as with the violin; but she could not refrain from exhibiting such skill as she possessed, Mrs. Abbott having declared that her own piano-playing was elementary.  Meantime, the portfolio of water-colours had of course been produced for exhibition.  In this art, though she did not admit it, Mrs. Abbott had formerly made some progress; she was able to form a judgment of Alma’s powers, and heard with genuine surprise in how short a time this point had been attained.  Alma again glowed with satisfaction.

She found a new source of pride in her motherhood.  Not having been told, or having forgotten, that Mrs. Abbott had lost a child, she playfully offered assurance that the guest should not be worried with nursery talk.

’Children are anything but a delight to you, I’m afraid; you must have too much of them.’

‘They often give me trouble,’ Mrs. Abbott replied.  ’But I wish I had one more to trouble me.  My little girl would have been six years old by now.

Alma gave one of those looks which occasionally atoned for many less amiable glances.

‘I’m so sorry —­ I didn’t know ——­’

Mrs. Abbott did not dwell on the subject.  Her reserve was still unbroken, though there never appeared the least coldness in her manner; she talked with perfect freedom of everything that contained no allusion to herself.  The change was manifestly doing her good; even by the second day she showed an increase of vigour, and no longer wore the preoccupied, overstrained look.  Becoming familiar with her face, Alma thought it more attractive than at first, and decidedly younger.  She still had a great deal of curiosity to satisfy with regard to Mrs Abbott; especially it seemed strange to her that Harvey and his friend were so little inclined for conversation; they talked only of formal, uninteresting things, and she wondered whether, after all, they really had much in common.