There had been an
engagement for late in the evening, but it had been given up because
of Frank's home-coming, and there was to be a family gathering merely--
for Captain Vidall was now as much one of the family as Frank or Richard,
by virtue of his approaching marriage with Marion. The men left alone,
General Armour questioned Frank freely about life in the Hudson's Bay
country, and the conversation ran on idly till it was time to join the
ladies.
When they reached the drawing-room, Marion was seated at the piano,
playing a rhapsody of Raff's, and Mrs. Armour and Lali were seated side
by side. Frank thrilled at seeing his wife's hand in his mother's.
Marion nodded over the piano at the men, and presently played a snatch
of Carmen, then wandered off into the barbaric strength of Tannhauser,
and as suddenly again into the ballet music of Faust.
"Why so wilful, my girl?" asked her father, who had a keen taste for
music. "Why this tangle? Let us have something definite.
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