Celia hurried back from Lady Gridborough's, ran up the great stone steps

and entered the hall. Catching sight of Mrs. Dexter coming from the

dining-room, Celia began, "Oh, Mrs. Dexter, I've had quite an adventure----" But she stopped as

she saw that the hitherto placid housekeeper was evidently in a state of

agitation, and, instead of continuing, Celia broke off with: "Oh, is

anything the matter, Mrs. Dexter?"

"Matter! I should think so," responded Mrs. Dexter, throwing out her

hand, which grasped a telegram. "I've just had this from his lordship

the Marquess, saying that he is coming down. And to dinner! I'm sure I

don't know what I'm going to do."

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"But everything is in readiness?" said Celia, remembering Mrs. Dexter's

vaunt.

"Of course it is, my dear; but the dinner----! All the staff seems to

have lost its head; and I, myself, am so flurried----"

Celia laid her hand upon the plump arm and pressed it, encouragingly.

"It will be all right," she said, soothingly. "Surely there will be

enough in the house for one man!"

"My dear young lady," retorted Mrs. Dexter, solemnly, "you have to

prepare a regular dinner, with all the proper courses, whether it's for

one man or a party. Like enough, his lordship will only partake of one

or two dishes, but you have to provide them all, and serve them

properly."

"I see," said Celia, who was beginning to understand the exigencies of

rank. "Can I help you? Surely there must be something I can do!"

"Well, you can arrange the flowers for me, if you will be so good, my

dear," said Mrs. Dexter. "Mr. Douglas, the head gardener, will cut you

some from the conservatory."

"All right," said Celia eagerly. "You run away and see to the dinner;

and if I can help you in any other way, after I've done the flowers, let

me know."

Herself not unexcited, she interviewed the dignified and extremely

capable head gardener, who, departing from his custom, did not utter any

complaint, but sacrificed his choicest blossoms to the beautiful young

lady to whom he had not yet spoken.

Celia thanked him, and ran off to get the receptacles for the flowers

from the stately Mr. Smith, the butler, and set about arranging the

exquisite blossoms. As she was doing so, she remembered a certain bed of

beautifully-grown pansies on one of the lawns. She picked a great bunch,

and arranged them by themselves in a flat bowl; and when the table was

laid, her floral decorations made a brave show amidst the glittering

plate and old English cut-glass.




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