your service, and his
language is shocking, except when in Miss Horatia'a presence, which she
has a wonderful influence over him, every one says.' In spite of the
grammar of this letter being somewhat involved, Nancy's meaning and
opinions were pretty clear, and Lady Grace Cunningham took it to her
husband, who had a character rather like Horatia's.

'Let the child stay where she is; it will do her all the good in the
world, as, you see, she is evidently doing good--taming this boor, by all
accounts. Nancy is a rank old Tory, and turns up her nose at any one not
born in the purple. Times have changed, as Nancy will find out one day.'

So Lady Grace Cunningham did not recall them, but only wrote and told
Horatia that she must shorten her visit if she was not happy.

'I'm enjoying myself immensely. I never met kinder people,' Horatia wrote
back. And so she stayed on; and as Nancy was living, as she expressed it,
like a fighting-cock, she resigned herself very contentedly to her lot,
as she resigned herself to Horatia's wearing Sarah's clothes.

Horatia, with very mingled feelings, went down to the motor which was to
take them to the barn. She wondered what kind of people would be there.
She had an idea that, as the invitations were issued by Mr Clay, they
would be his friends or people of his choice, and Horatia looked forward
to an afternoon with a very rough and unrefined set of people.

Sarah wore the daintiest of costumes, just the right thing for the day
and pastime, for Sarah, if left to herself, had very good taste.

'What a lot of motors, Sarah! Does every one have one here?' inquired
Horatia, as she saw a number of cars coming up the three avenues which
led to Balmoral.

'Most people do,' said Sarah carelessly; 'and they'll use them to-day
sooner than their horses because of the bad weather, and some have come a
good distance.'

Tom Fox put on speed so as to arrive at the barn before the first of the
guests, which would not have been hospitable according to Yorkshire
ideas; and the two girls, accompanied by Mrs Clay, had alighted, and were
standing inside the door ready to receive the first guests; or, rather,
Sarah and her mother were there, for Horatia had gone away under the
pretext of putting on her roller-skates, and had her back to the door.
The nearer the time came the less she liked the idea of this
rinking-party, for though she managed to get on with Mr Clay, she felt
that seventy people of that