most in their minds to anyone but their sisters. She should have
him by and by, and the present was full of tranquil enjoyment.

If Henrietta had been free from blame in coming to Knight Sutton at all,
or in her way of leaving the house this morning, there would have been
little or no drawback to our pleasure in contemplating her.

"Is it possible!" exclaimed Queen Bee, as the last reverberation of
the single stroke of the deep-toned clock fell quivering on her ear. "I
thought you would have given us at least eleven more."

"What a quantity remains to be done!" sighed Henrietta, laying down
the wreath which she had just completed. "Your work looks beautiful,
Queenie, but how shall we ever finish?"

"A short winter's day, too!" said Beatrice. "One thing is certain--that
we can't go home to luncheon."

"What will grandmamma think of that?" said Henrietta doubtfully. "Will
she like it?"

Beatrice could have answered, "Not at all;" but she said, "O never mind,
it can't be helped; we should be late even if we were to set off now,
and besides we might be caught and stopped."

"Oh, that would be worse than anything," said Henrietta, quite
convinced.

"So you mean to starve," said Alex.

"See what slaves men are to creature comforts," said Beatrice; "what do
you say, Henrietta?"

"I had much rather stay here," said Henrietta; "I want nothing."

"Much better fun to go without," said Fred, who had not often enough
missed a regular meal not to think doing so an honour and a joke.

"I'll tell you what will do best of all!" cried Queen Bee. "You go to
Dame Reid's, and buy us sixpennyworth of the gingerbread papa calls
the extreme of luxury, and we will eat it on the old men's bench in the
porch."

"Oho! her Majesty is descending to creature comforts," said Alex. "I
thought she would soon come down to other mortals."

"Only to gratify her famishing subjects," said Beatrice, "you disloyal
vassal, you! Fred is worth a dozen of you. Come, make haste. She is
sure to have a fresh stock, for she always has a great baking when Mr.
Geoffrey is coming."

"For his private eating?" said Fred.

"He likes it pretty well, certainly; and he seldom goes through the
village without making considerable purchase for the benefit of the
children in his path, who take care to be not a few. I found little
Jenny Woods made small distinction between Mr. Geoffrey and Mr. Ginger.
But come, Alex, why are you not off?"

"Because I don't hap