 follows
that as regards the arrangement of Dudley's house-party at Wroxeter she
was entirely in her element.

A paragraph crept into the papers announcing how the popular
Under-Secretary intended to spend the recess.  This was copied into
hundreds of papers all over the country with that rapidity with which
the personal paragraph always travels.

Of course the invitations were sent out in Dudley's name, and the fact
that Claudia had arranged the whole matter was carefully concealed.  As
the relict of Dick Nevill she had a perfect right to act as hostess on
Chisholm's behalf if she so desired, but Dudley had strenuously refused
to allow this, for people might renew their ill-natured gossip.  He had
no desire to submit either Claudia or himself to a fresh burst of
scandal.

The House rose.  Three days later the guests began to assemble at
Wroxeter, making the old halls echo with their laughter in a manner in
which they had not echoed for many years.  Claudia herself did not
arrive until a couple of days later, but the arrangements she had made
with the housekeeper were perfect.

The guests numbered thirty-three, nearly all of them Dudley's most
intimate friends, including a Cabinet Minister and a sprinkling of
political notabilities.  Among them were, of course, some smart women
and pretty girls; and with a perfect round of entertainment the
Christmas festival was kept in a right royal manner, worthy the best
traditions of the Chisholms.  Holly boughs and mistletoe were suspended
in the great oak-panelled hall, while a boar's head and other old-world
dishes formed part of the fare on Christmas Day.  Outside, the weather
was intensely cold, for snow had fallen heavily and had now frozen,
giving the park and the surrounding hills quite a fairy-like appearance.
It was in every respect such a festival as we most of us desire, "an
old-fashioned Christmas."

The Grand-Duke was in Paris, and Dudley was secretly glad that on this
account he could not be invited.  But among the guests were the portly
Lady Meldrum, whose bl