HE door of the boudoir opened. The Duke came in. The Duchess ran forward to meet him and threw herself with a dramatic gesture into his arms.
Neither of them noticed that their youngest child, still known, to her annoyance, as "Lady Baby," though she was nine years old, was crouching on the floor by the window, reading, in the gathering twilight, an exciting boy's book.
"Why, what's the matter?" The Duke looked, he felt, alarmed.
"Everything's the matter! Listen to this!" and the Duchess smoothed out a piece of writing-paper crumpled up in her hand.
",—
"Although he is not aware of it, I am writing to you on behalf of my unfortunate son. Your daughter has not spoken to him for twenty-four hours. The cause of their disagreement is her obstinate determination that their dear little baby should be christened by a very curious and most undesirable name.
"Speaking without prejudice, I consider that in this matter my son is wholly blameless. It is Lettice who is being most unreasonable. I have been wondering if you would write and point out to her that, as a wife, her duty is to obey her husband in this, as in all other things.
P.S.—Not only is Christmas a time of Peace and Goodwill, but within less than a fortnight occurs the first anniversary of their wedding day."
"Twenty-four hours without saying a word? Very amazing on the part of her mother's daughter!" exclaimed the Duke, putting his arm round the Duchess's shoulder. "I can't remember your ever keeping silent for more than half an hour—however angry you were with me. And I think that only happened once, eh, my darling?"
"You never deserved more than thirty minutes' loss of my exciting conversation! But do let's be serious, James. It was very foolish of us to consent to their living with Gerald's mother, even for only part of the year. I don't know how to answer such a letter! It's so much easier to speak than to write"
There rose from the floor a still small voice: "When you do see her, mother, do hand her the frozen mitt."
"The frozen mitt," said the Duchess gently, "never did anybody any good."
"As to that," said the Duke dryly, "opinions may differ. Just show me that letter."
He glanced over the two closely written sheets of note-paper. "The baby's name? What an extraordinary thing! I thought the child was to be called after you?"
"Laura is only to be her second name. The poor little thing's first name is to be"
The Duchess did not end her sentence. Instead she said, "Lettice has a fancy for something she thinks romantic, and she has set her heart on" and she stopped again.
"Yes?" The Duke really wanted to know.
"I'll give you a lead. Try to remember the most devoted, unselfish wife ever met within a play—one who did something very wonderful for the sake of her husband!"
"Lady Macbeth?" queried the Duke.
"Think again! Alcestis, of course—the heroine of the play the children acted when we had that wonderfully clever governess, Miss Fearsome"
"Alcestis? What an extraordinary name to give a baby. Still, I don't see why Lettice shouldn't do as she likes."
"You are not Gerald's mother," said the Duchess shortly. "She objects strongly to Alcestis. She thinks it pagan"
"So it is," said the Duke; "Lettice can't deny that."
Again a shrill voice rose from the floor near the window: "Is Lettice sticking up for herself at last? Oh, mother, what fun!"
"Not fun at all," said the Duchess severely. "It's a very foolish notion—and quite unlike our Lettice. She was always so reasonable—before she married."
"She proved how unreasonable she was when she fell in love with that pompous, argufying prig," observed the Duke.
"Gerald has many good points, James." The Duchess was a very loyal mother. "Still, he ought to take Lettice's part."
"'My wife, right or wrong!' ought to be every husband's motto, eh?" exclaimed the Duke.
"It's always been yours, darling," cried the Duchess, and she took hold of the Duke's hand and squeezed it.
"If Lettice is posing as an expert on the Greek drama I commend to her notice the Mask which was known to Pollux as 'The Entirely Good Young Man,'" chuckled the Duke, "and I wish her joy of her own specimen!"
"I think poor Gerald is a little afraid of his mother," said the Duchess gently. "I know I am."
"What d'you propose to do about this silly business?" grunted the Duke; and again he glanced over the letter written by his son-in-law's mother.