It was impossible for any party, however large and aristocratic, over
which the countess presided, to be dull, and very soon they were all
talking, and some of them laughing, for there were two young persons
present, at any rate, who were by no means overawed by the splendor of
the appointments or the rank of the guests. Dick would have found it
possible to be merry at a Quakers' meeting, and Miss Angel, though she
tried to preserve a demure, not to say repressive, mood, very soon
yielded to Dick's light-hearted influence; and not only she, but those
near them, were kept by him in ripples of laughter.

It was just what Drake wanted, and he looked down the table toward Dick
with approval and gratitude.

"Dick hasn't changed a bit--thank Heaven!" he said to Nell.

"Your brother's the most charming boy I've met for a very long time,"
remarked the duchess. "Of course, he will come with you and the rest to
me on the ninth. I am so glad to see Mr. Falconer here, and I hope he
will be well enough to join us!"

Nell glanced at Falconer with a sisterly regard, and Drake said: "We'll bring him, if we have to pack him in cotton wool!"

The dinner was, inevitably, a lengthy one; but it was never for a moment
dull, and the countess almost forgot Lady Luce as she realized the
success of her party. She felt as a captain of a vessel feels when he
has left behind him the perilous rocks on which he had nearly struck.
Drake, too, almost forgot the ordeal through which he had just passed.
How could he do otherwise when his darling was within reach of his hand,
under his roof, at his table? The ladies remained some time after the
appearance of the dessert, but the countess rose at last, and led the
way to the drawing-room. There, of course, Nell was made much of. Some
of the younger women drew their chairs near her, and showed as plainly
as they could--and how plainly women can show things when they
like!--that they were eager to welcome her into the county's social
circle; and it required no effort on their part, for Nell's charm, which
Drake had found so potent, was irresistible. There was some playing and
singing, and the countess wanted Nell to do one or the other; but she
shook her head.