tions.

"Mother, what shall I wear?"

"Mother, my pique skirts have not come home from the wash! I wish you
would leave that horrid laundry. It's the third time--"

"Mother, will my pink blouse do? It's the nicest I have, and it's only
a little bit soiled on the sleeves, and if I wore clean cuffs--"

"Mother, need I change? Can't I go as I am, and be happy? I might want
to climb over a fence, and it's such spiky work."

"Mother, I think we should all go dressed alike in white dresses and
blue ties, and march across the road in a crocodile. Do let's! It
would be such fun!"

Mrs Rendell pressed her hands to her head in distracted fashion.

"If every single one of you is not out of this room in two minutes from
now, I'll retract, and send a refusal instead! Get away to your work!
I'll see you separately later on, if you want instructions, but surely
girls of your age ought to be able to dress without my assistance! The
only thing I bargain for is that you are _not_ alike, for that would
only accentuate your number, and as it is I feel ashamed to appear with
such a battalion."

"Lilias, need we go?" Ned Talbot slid his hand through his _fiancee's_
arm, and drew her into the garden. "If the party is too large, why
should we not reduce it by two, and have a quiet little lunch by
ourselves? I must leave before four o'clock, and if we go to the Grange
it will mean that we have no more time together, for we cannot run away
immediately after lunch. Mr Vanburgh would understand our position if
we sent an excuse."

"Oh, Ned!" cried Lilias, and the tone of reproach was so eloquent that
there could be no mistaking her wishes on the subject. "Oh, Ned, the
first time we have been asked! Our first invitation! You couldn't
really wish me to refuse it. I should be so dreadfully disappointed.
You don't know how much we have longed to be asked, or what castles in
the air we have built about this day!"

"Very well, dear; don't trouble yourself. We will do just as you
please," said Ned wearily. He tried to convince himself of the
reasonableness of Lilias's position, and to show no sign of resentment;
but the jar was there all the same, and seemed to set up a barrier
between them in all they did and said. If any one had foretold that he
should feel time drag heavily in Lilias's company, and cast about in his
mind for subjects on which to talk, how he would have derided the idea!
yet, alas, it had come true, for