the reason of Mrs. Nestor's call, and it was because they were
going to settle about the French lessons that grandmamma had sent me out
of the room. It was not till long afterwards that I understood all about
it.

Just now I was very pleased.

'Oh, how nice!' I said, 'and may I play with them after the lessons are
done, do you think, grandmamma? And will they ask me to go to their
house to tea sometimes? Sharley said they would--at least she nearly
said it.'

'I daresay you will go to their house some day. I think Mrs. Nestor is
very kind, and I am sure she would ask you if she thought it would
please you,' said grandmamma. But then she stopped a little. 'I want you
to understand, Helena dear, that these children are coming here really
to learn French. So you must not think about playing with them just at
first, that must be as their mother likes.'

Grandmamma did not say what she felt in her own mind--that she would not
wish to seem to try to make acquaintance with the Nestors, who were very
rich and important people, through giving lessons to their children. For
she was proud in a right way--no, I won't call it proud--I think
dignified is a better word.

But Mrs. Nestor was too nice herself not to see at once the sort of
person grandmamma was. She was almost _too_ delicate in her feelings,
for she was so afraid of seeming to be in the least condescending or
patronising to us, that she kept back from showing us as much kindness
as she would have liked to do. So it never came about that we grew very
intimate with the family at Moor Court--that was the name of their
home--I really saw more of the three girls at our own little cottage
than in their own grand house.

But as I go on with my story you will see that there was a reason for my
telling about them, and about how we came to know them, rather
particularly.

The French lessons began the next week. Sharley and her sisters used to
come together, sometimes walking with a maid, sometimes driving over in
a little pony-cart--not the beautiful carriage with the two ponies;
that was their mother's--but what is called a governess-cart, in which
they drove a fat old fellow called Bunch, too fat and lazy to be up to
much mischief. When they drove over they brought a young groom with
them, but their governess very seldom came. I think Mrs. Nestor thought
it would be pleasanter for granny to give the lessons without a grown-up
person being there, and Sharley said their