d to say "yes" to that, but she felt it was all wrong. She sat
down on her mother's sofa and pinched the cushion frill.

"Mother, isn't it terribly heartless of us?" she asked.

"Darling!" Mrs. Sheridan got up and came over to her, carrying the hat.
Before Laura could stop her she had popped it on. "My child!" said her
mother, "the hat is yours. It's made for you. It's much too young for
me. I have never seen you look such a picture. Look at yourself!" And
she held up her hand-mirror.

"But, mother," Laura began again. She couldn't look at herself; she
turned aside.

This time Mrs. Sheridan lost patience just as Jose had done.

"You are being very absurd, Laura," she said coldly. "People like that
don't expect sacrifices from us. And it's not very sympathetic to spoil
everybody's enjoyment as you're doing now."

"I don't understand," said Laura, and she walked quickly out of the room
into her own bedroom. There, quite by chance, the first thing she saw
was this charming girl in the mirror, in her black hat trimmed with
gold daisies, and a long black velvet ribbon. Never had she imagined she
could look like that. Is mother right? she thought. And now she
hoped her mother was right. Am I being extravagant? Perhaps it was
extravagant. Just for a moment she had another glimpse of that poor
woman and those little children, and the body being carried into
the house. But it all seemed blurred, unreal, like a picture in the
newspaper. I'll remember it again after the party's over, she decided.
And somehow that seemed quite the best plan...

Lunch was over by half-past one. By half-past two they were all ready
for the fray. The green-coated band had arrived and was established in a
corner of the tennis-court.

"My dear!" trilled Kitty Maitland, "aren't they too like frogs for
words? You ought to have arranged them round the pond with the conductor
in the middle on a leaf."

Laurie arrived and hailed them on his way to dress. At the sight of him
Laura remembered the accident again. She wanted to tell him. If Laurie
agreed with the others, then it was bound to be all right. And she
followed him into the hall.

"Laurie!"

"Hallo!" He was half-way upstairs, but when he turned round and saw
Laura he suddenly puffed out his cheeks and goggled his eyes at her.
"My word, Laura! You do look stunning," said Laurie. "What an absolutely
topping hat!"

Laura said faintly "Is it?" and smiled up at Laurie, and didn't tell him
a