as a mysterious enchantress, the mystic
touch pleased her vanity.

So, of the whole party, only Zara did not feel content. Tristram might
think she had chosen this herself, as an advance towards him.

Then the discussion, as to the garments to be worn, began. Numbers of
ornaments and bits of tea-gowns would do. But with her usual practical
forethought, Lady Anningford had already taken time by the forelock, and
asked that one of the motors, going in to Tilling Green on a message,
should bring back all the bales of bright and light-colored merinos and
nunscloths the one large general shop boasted of.

And, amidst screams of delighted excitement from the girls, the immense
parcel was presently unpacked.

It contained marvels of white and creams, and one which was declared the
exact thing for _Isolt_. It was a merino of that brilliant violent shade
of azure, the tone which is advertised as "Rickett's Paris blue" for
washing clothes. It had been in the shop for years, and was unearthed
for this occasion--a perfect relic of later Victorian aniline dye.

"It will be simply too gorgeously wonderful, with just a fillet of gold
round her head, and all her adorable red hair hanging down," Lady
Anningford said to Ethelrida.

"We shan't have to wear a stitch underneath," Lady Betty announced
decidedly, while she pirouetted before a cheval glass--they were all in
Lady Anningford's room--with some stuff draped round her childish form.
"The gowns must have the right look, just long, straight things, with
hanging sleeves and perhaps a girdle. I shall have cream, and you, Mary,
as _Elaine_, must have white; but Emily had better have that mauve for
_Enid_, as she was married."

"Why must _Enid_ have mauve because she is married?" asked Emily, who
did not like the color.

"I don't know why," Lady Betty answered, "except that, if you are
married, you can't possibly have white, like Mary and me, who aren't.
People are quite different--after, and mauve is very respectable for
them," she went on. Grammar never troubled her little ladyship, when
giving her valuable opinion upon things and life.

"I think _Enid_ was a goose," said Emily, pouting.

"Not half as much as _Elaine_," said Mary. "She had secured her
_Geraint_, whereas _Elaine_ made a perfect donkey of herself over
_Lancelot_, who did not care for her."

"I like our parts much the best, Lily's and mine," said Lady Betty. "I
do give my Jim--Gareth?--a lively time, at all