;
but she suffers so much, this good demoiselle, and she is so patient!
But for Mademoiselle Marie--ah, there again the droll name, Molli!--does
not Mademoiselle think this a strange, very strange, country?"

The great expedition was ready to set out at last. All the girls were
dressed exactly alike, in white, and all the gentlemen in blue turned up
with white. They were to travel in two coaches to Bristol, where all
were to sleep at the house of Mrs Merton, sister-in-law to Lady
Delawarr; the next day the bouquet was to be presented at Berkeley, and
on the third day they were to return. By way of chaperone, the
housekeeper at the Court was to travel with them to and from Bristol,
out Mrs Merton herself undertook to conduct them to Berkeley.

Rhoda was in the highest spirits, and Phoebe saw her assisted into the
coach by Mr Marcus Welles with no little misgiving. Molly, as she
brushed past Phoebe, allowed the point of a steel scissors-sheath to
peep from her pocket for an instant, accompanying it with the mysterious
intimation--"You'll see!"

"What will she see, Molly?" asked Lady Diana, who was close beside her.

"How to use a pair of scissors," said Molly. "What's to be cut, Molly?"
Sophia Rich wished to know.

"A dash!" said Molly, significantly. And away rolled the coaches
towards Bristol. Phoebe turned back into the house with a rather
desolate feeling. For three days everybody would be gone. Those who
were left behind were all strangers to her except Mr Edmundson, and she
wanted to get as far from him as she could. True, there was Louise; but
Louise could hardly be a companion for her, even had her work for Lady
Delawarr allowed it, for she was not her equal in education. The other
girls were engaged, as usual, in idle chatter, and fluttering of fans.
Lady Delawarr, passing through the room, saw Phoebe sitting rather
disconsolately in a corner.

"Mrs Phoebe, my dear, come and help me to make things ready for
to-morrow," she said, good-naturedly; and Phoebe followed her very
willingly.

The picnic was a success. The weather was beautiful, and the young
people in good temper--two important points. Lady Delawarr herself, in
the absence of her housekeeper, superintended the packing of the light
van which carried the provisions to the old tower. There was to be a
gipsy fire to boil the kettle, with three poles tied together over it,
from which the kettle was slung in the orthodox manner. Phoebe,