The Real Charlotte. 1 1 1 



finds that there's only Charlotte for him to talk to ! T will 

 go down to - morrow, no matter what they say, but I 

 suppose it will be ages before the officers call again now." 

 Miss Fitzpatrick became somewhat moody at this reflection, 

 and tried to remember what it was that Mr. Hawkins had 

 said about "taking shooting leave for the 12th"; she 

 wished she hadn't been such a fool as not to ask him what 

 he had meant by the 12th. If it meant the 12th of July, 

 she mightn't see him again till he came back, and goodness 

 knows when that would be. Roddy Lambert was all very 

 well, but what was he but an old married man. " Gracious ! " 

 she interrupted herself aloud with a little giggle, " how mad 

 he'd be if he thought I called hira that ! " and Hawkins was 

 really a very jolly fellow. The hall-door opened again ; she 

 heard Charlotte's voice raised in leave-taking, and then Mr. 

 Lambert walked slowly down the drive and the hall-door 

 slammed. ** He didn't stay long," thought Francie ; " I 

 wonder if he's cross because I wasn't downstairs ? He's a 

 very cross man. Oh, look at him kicking Mrs. Bruff into 

 the bushes ! It's well for him Charlotte's coming upstairs 

 and can't see him 1 " 



Charlotte was not looking any the worse for what she had 

 gone through on the day of the accident ; in fact, as she 

 came into the room, there was an air of youthfulness and 

 good spirits about her that altered her surprisingly, and her 

 manner towards her cousin was geniality itself, 



" Well, me child ! " she began, " I hadn't a minute 

 since dinner to come and see you. The doorstep's worn 

 out with the world and his wife coming to ask how you are ; 

 and Louisa doesn't know whether she's on her head or her 

 heels with all the clean cups she's had to bring in ! " 



** Well, I wish to goodness I'd been downstairs to help 

 her," said Francie, whirling her feet off the sofa and sitting 

 upright; "there's nothing ails me to keep me stuck up 

 here." 



" Well, you shall come down to-morrow," replied Char- 

 lotte soothingly ; " I'm going to lunch with the Bakers, so 

 you'll have to come down to do your manners to Christopher 

 Dysart. His mother said he was coming to inquire for you 

 to-morrow. And remember that only for him the pike 

 would be eating you at the bottom of the lake this minute I 



