Forest should
come and see it. The room was lit by seven tall Gothic windows, and had
a high arched roof of oak. Round the windows the thick ivy which only
years can produce hung in heavy masses. Some of this must be cleared
away, and some light draperies must relieve the dark tone of the walls.
The gallery was pronounced sufficiently sound for the band to stand
there, and Annie's original idea of placing Nora in the gallery as a
sort of queen of the ceremonies was superseded by a better one. She was
to have a special throne made for her at the other end of the ball-room.
There she would not only see perfectly, but would also be seen. It
seemed simple enough to have a ball in such a lovely room, and Hester
arranged to send some men over that very afternoon to begin the work of
clearing out the rubbish.

"We don't wish to take possession of the Towers," she said. "We only
want the loan of the ball-room, and of this delightful lawn just
beyond, where we can put up a marquee or tent."

"No, no," exclaimed Molly, "it must be all or nothing. You know how big
our entrance hall is, Hester, and those great half-empty drawing rooms.
The whole ground floor is to be at your disposal. If we do it at all,
let it be a real merry-making. It will be nice to have a merry-making
once again at the Towers."

Molly sighed as she spoke. Hester glanced at her, and the remark in her
father's letter flashed through her brain.

While the others were planning and talking at least twenty words to the
dozen, Nell was looking solemnly up at the tall windows with an
expression of ecstacy on her small face. Boris came up presently and
pulled her hand.

"What are you in a brown study for?" he asked.

"Oh, Boris," she exclaimed, flashing round on him; "it is more a white
dream than a brown study. Fancy this room all lit with Chinese lanterns
and the moon outside, and us sitting up until twelve o'clock, and music,
Boris, and everybody dancing. The story books will have come true--oh,
it will be too lovely."

"I'm thinking of the supper," said Boris. "I expect I'll get awful
peckish sitting up so late. I hope there'll be jellies--I love jellies;
don't you, Nell?"

"Yes; I heard Hester say there was to be a real band. I wonder if
they'll play any of the airs out of _Faust_. I do so love the Soldier's
Chorus, don't you?"

"Yes; I'll march to it when I'm big. Nell, do you think I'll be allowed
to have as many cakes as I wish, and _pate de foie g