She called it a visit to her old home, and she seemed very glad in her preparations.

If there was anything forced in this gayety, no one noticed it, or at least, no one spoke of it.

The family saw very little of Billy, indeed, these days.

She said that she was busy; that she had packing to do.

She stopped taking lessons of Cyril, and visited Bertram's studio only once during the whole three days before she went away, and then merely to get some things that belonged to her.