"I know Fairlight well," replied Marian; "although it has been some years since I was there. But the Cheevors—what Cheevors? It is the manor house of the Shadwells."
"Yes, a good many years ago; but—"
Macfarren here, seeing trouble ahead, cut in dexterously by a sly jog of Mrs. Van Tromp's elbow, by which she dropped her fan, and, with a thousand apologies for his awkwardness, he picked it up. The ruse succeeded, temporarily.
"I'm sure you'll like it here," continued Mrs. Van Tromp, "so many English are here this winter. There's quite a little colony on Staten Island. Of course you'll be invited to the F. C. D. C's and the Patriarchs and Matriarchs?"
Marian, without answering, turned two wondering eyes on Macfarren. Him at least she could understand.
"They are balls and banquets," he explained.
Marian turned to Mrs. Van Tromp. "I can not go except my father, the Lord Howard de Winstanley, go with me, or else my lady Stukely," she said.
"Oh, there won't be any trouble about that. I will see that your father and Lady Stukely get cards," responded Mrs. Van Tromp, eagerly.
Here was a go, indeed—taking Lord Howard de Winstanley and Lady Marian de Winstanley and Lady Stukely all to the Matriarchs under her wing! What a happy woman then was Mrs. Van Tromp!
But if the mention of these magic names filled the descendant of the Knickerbockers with rapture, what were her blissful feelings when Lady Marian said gravely: