om the garden all of a tremble; had replied, "Yes! No!
Certainly!" when asked for instructions, and had then sent Miss Lilias
to see Mr Talbot in the drawing-room all by her very own self. What
did that mean, she would like to know? And cook shook her head, and
said it wasn't for nothing she had fallen up the cellar stairs the week
before; and a very good thing too, if one of them did go off! When
there were six of them waiting for their turns, the elders ought to
hurry up and make room. Mary, the waitress, shed tears over her silver
in the pantry, because there was a look about the back of Mr Talbot's
head that reminded her of her young man, who had gone abroad to prepare
a home; and all three flattened their noses against the window when Ned
departed, in the hope of witnessing a tender and affecting farewell.
They were disappointed, however, for Lilias did not leave the drawing-
room, and only Mrs Rendell accompanied the young man to the door. She
had put on her bonnet, and followed him slowly down the road, for
ordinary duties must be attended to, even on the exciting occasion of
the first engagement in the family, and on this particular morning there
happened to be a committee meeting at the vicarage, which she felt bound
to attend.

When Maud returned, therefore, only her sisters were at home to receive
her, and she had barely entered the house before Agatha rushed forward,
flushed and beaming, and drew her forcibly into the drawing-room.

"Maud, Maud, such news! Such excitement! Have you heard? Did Nan tell
you? Isn't it lovely? The first engagement! Oh, how I have longed to
have a wedding in the family, and now it's really coming off! It's too
good to be true! Ned Talbot, too! Such a scrumptious brother! I
always hoped he'd ask one of us, but I thought it was you. Funny,
wasn't it? I said to Chrissie--"

"It was very bold and interfering of you to say anything of the sort,
then; what business have you meddling with other people's love affairs?"
interrupted Elsie sharply; and Maud glanced at her, and turned away
quickly to avoid a look of sympathetic understanding. Elsie was old
beyond her years, and had been quick to understand the true position of
affairs; but Maud hardly knew which was more painful--Agatha's tactless
speeches, or the other's undisguised commiseration. It was a relief to
turn to Lilias and meet her lovely eyes, guilelessly free from any
feeling but her own happiness. Lilia