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Pleiades married gods, except one, Merope, who married a mortal. For that reason her light was dimmed.”
    “So social distinction exists in the heavens!”
    That is just the legend. “
    “It spoils it in my opinion. I should have liked Merope to shine more brightly because she was more adventurous and independent than her sisters. But of course no one would agree with me.”
    “I do,” he assured me.
    I felt exhilarated, excited, and the feeling that I was on the threshold of adventure increased.
    “You must not be late in returning,” I warned him, ‘or they will wonder what has become of you. “
    We were silent as we made our way to the schoolhouse.
    As I had guessed my mother was waiting up for me. Her eyes widened with delight when she saw my companion.
    He declined to come in but handed me to her as though I were some valuable object to be safely deposited. Then he said good night and was gone.
    I had to sit up for a long time telling my mother every detail. I did, but I omitted to mention the Comte.

II
    The excitement in the schoolhouse continued. My mother went about with a faraway look in her eyes and there was a smile and contentment on her lips. I knew very well what was in her mind and I was mildly appalled at her temerity.
    The fact was that Joel Derringham was determined to be friendly. I was eighteen years of age and in spite of a lack of worldly experience appeared to be quite mature. This was ^ probably due to my having a more serious nature than the! Derringham girls-and certainly than Margot. I had had it’I brought home to me that I must acquire the best education! available to me with the purpose of earning my living through ^ it; this had been so impressed on me by my mother since the death of my father that I had accepted it as my way of life. I ) had read extensively anything that came to hand; I had felt it i my duty to know something of any subject which might be ;
    mentioned; and it was no doubt due to this that Joel found me different. Ever since our meeting, he had sought my company When I went for my favourite walk across the meadows I would find him seated on a stile over which I had to cross, and he would join me in my walk.
    He was often riding past the schoolhouse and on several occasions he called in. My mother received him graciously and without fuss, and the only reason why I knew she was inwardly excited was by the faint colour in her cheeks. She was delighted. This most prosaic of women was vulnerable only where her daughter was concerned, and it became embarrassingly clear that she had decided that Joel Derringham should marry me. Instead of at the schoolhouse my future was to be at This was the wildest dream” for even if Joel thought it a possibility, his family would never permit it.
    Yet in the space of a week we had become very good friends. I enjoyed our meetings, which were never arranged but seemed to come about naturally, though I suspected they were contrived by him. It was amazing how often I would go out and come upon him. I rode Jenny, our little horse which drew the jingle-our only means of transport. She was not young but docile and my mother had been anxious for me to ride well. Several times when I rode out on her I would come upon Joel on one of the fine hunters from the Derringham stables. He would ride beside me and it invariably happened that where I proposed to go was just where he was going also. He was so gracious and charming as well as informative and I found his company interesting. I was flattered, too, that he should seek me out.
    Margot told me that her parents had left England because of the way things were going in France; she did not seem to be very perturbed and was delighted to be left alone in England. Vaguely I wondered about Margot, who was very merry and abandonedly gay one day and subdued and serious the next. Her changes of moods were quite unpredictable, but being absorbed in my own affairs, I put it down to her Gallic temperament and