"There will not be a fairer girl at the drawing-room to-day," he continued, "Yet you must look out for your laurels, Doris. Lady Blanche Trevor is presented to-day, and the Trevors have always been considered the handsomest family in England."
"I am not afraid, papa," was the calm reply. "We should be going now; it is some time since the carriage was announced."
"Doris," said the countess, "stop one minute, dear."
Doris turned, wonderingly. She detected a faint tremor in the voice; Lady Linleigh's face, too, was very pale.
"Come here one moment," she continued, and Lady Doris went up to her.
The pale, lovely face looked into hers, the gentle hands touched her, the sweet lips caressed her. The countess took one long tress of the golden hair in her hands.
"I could not let you go out into the world, my dear," she said, slowly, "without first wishing you all happiness."
All her heart was on her lips, and her voice trembled with emotion. Lady Doris looked at her in a perfect bewilderment of surprise.
"You are very kind to me, Lady Linleigh," she said; and there was something of haughty surprise in her voice which fell like cold snow on the gentle heart. "You are very kind," she repeated, "but I have no fear."
"It is such a brilliant world, Doris, but so full of pitfalls—oh! my dear, so full of pitfalls for the beautiful and young."