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spoil her. We must be cruel to be kind. Don ’ t let her wrap you round her finger, Alfred. She ’ ll toe the line here as at home. ”
    Whewett shrugged an apology across the table at Grace. After dinner he was invited in a commanding way to bring his port to the saloon and did so. He was about to pour a glass when Lady Healy said, “ Time for you to leave us, young lady. I do not approve of children in the saloon after dinner. ”
    Grace looked startled, for it was only eight o ’ clock. “ Where shall I go? ” she asked.
    “ To your bed, of course, ” Lady Healy replied.
    “ But it ’ s only — ! ” Grace intercepted a look from Whewett and fell silent.
    “ I see how it is. Your papa lets you stay up till all hours. It will destroy your looks. Dims the eyes and makes the skin sallow. Young girls should rise with the sun and retire with it. By the time you have cleaned your teeth and said your prayers and changed, it will be close to nine o ’ clock. I notice your woman did not come with you. Don ’ t you have an abigail, Gussie? ”
    “ Miss Invers has gone to visit her family. Her mother is ill, ” Grace replied.
    “ All the more reason to run along. You ’ ll have to do for yourself. It will be a lesson in independence. ”
    “ I can take care of myself, ” Grace said, feeling this bold assertion might meet with approval, as indeed it did.
    “ I wager you can, ” the old lady cackled merrily.
    When Grace went to make her curtsy to her grandmother, the lady said, “ You may kiss me good-night, Gussie. ”
    With no inner revulsion this time, Grace pecked the sere, lined skin. She turned uncertainly toward Whewett, wondering in what manner she ought to take her leave of him. “ Good night, Papa, ” she said, and curtsied.
    “ Good night, Augusta. Sleep well, ” he answered, with a glint of amusement at her predicament.
    “ Don ’ t you kiss your father good-night? ” Lady Healy asked. Her tone made it perfectly clear she did not approve of a mere curtsy.
    Not wishing to give offense, Grace said, “ Sometimes. ”
    “ You should always kiss your father good-night. There isn ’ t enough respect shown to parents nowadays. My father would have laid a hickory branch over my back if I forgot to kiss him goodnight. Don ’ t forget to brush your teeth and say your prayers, too. ”
    “ Yes, Grandmama, ” Grace answered, her voice becoming strained at all these commands. She turned to Whewett, glowering at him when her back was safely turned from Lady Healy.
    “ Come and kiss your father goodnight as you ’ re told, ” he said in a fatherly way.
    She walked to him stiffly. “ Beast! ” she hissed in a low voice as her lips brushed his cheek. The roughness of incipient whiskers surprised her. At close range a lingering hint of spicy cologne rose from him. It surprised her, too, when he reached out and grasped her wrist in his hand.
    “ Sleep tight, dear. I ’ ll look in on you before I go to bed. We shan ’ t be staying up late, Grandma? ”
    The old dame yawned. “ I am dog-tired already. We ’ ll turn in soon. We have only got the east wing open. I have had you two put in adjoining rooms for company. I have only a handful of servants with me. One of them will show you where to go, Augusta. ”
    Grace ’ s eyes flew to Whewett in consternation at the sleeping arrangements. “ How convenient. ” He smiled blandly at Lady Healy.
    “ I knew you would like to be close together, ” she said.
    Grace was shown to a large chamber of faded elegance by the groom-turned-butler. “ This here ’ s where you ’ re sleeping, ” was his sole conversation.
    Dark wainscoting and dark window hangings lent a dismal atmosphere to the whole. In lieu of a proper lamp, there was one brace of tallow candles to lighten the heavy gloom and disperse a rancid smoke. Her new luggage sat on the floor, unpacked. Stowing it away took a few minutes.
    By eight-thirty she was done, stuck in a shadowy room alone,