atters whether they care for it or
not? They need not take it. It will look better for Miss Dorothy.
If Dorothy is to remain here I shall choose that she should be
respected." And so the question of the cake and wine had been decided
overnight. But when the morning came Miss Stanbury was still in
a twitter. Half-past ten had been the hour fixed for the visit,
in consequence of there being a train in from Lessboro', due at
the Exeter station at ten. As Miss Stanbury breakfasted always
at half-past eight, there was no need of hurry on account of the
expected visit. But, nevertheless, she was in a fuss all the morning;
and spoke of the coming period as one in which she must necessarily
put herself into solitary confinement.

"Perhaps your mamma will be cold," she said, "and will expect a
fire."

"Oh, dear, no, Aunt Stanbury."

"It could be lighted of course. It is a pity they should come just so
as to prevent you from going to morning service; is it not?"

"I could go with you, aunt, and be back very nearly in time. They
won't mind waiting a quarter of an hour."

"What; and have them here all alone! I wouldn't think of such a
thing. I shall go up-stairs. You had better come to me when they are
gone. Don't hurry them. I don't want you to hurry them at all; and
if you require anything, Martha will wait upon you. I have told the
girls to keep out of the way. They are so giddy, there's no knowing
what they might be after. Besides,--they've got their work to mind."

All this was very terrible to poor Dorothy, who had not as yet quite
recovered from the original fear with which her aunt had inspired
her,--so terrible that she was almost sorry that her mother and
sister were coming to her. When the knock was heard at the door,
precisely as the cathedral clock was striking half-past ten,--to
secure which punctuality, and thereby not to offend the owner of the
mansion, Mrs. Stanbury and Priscilla had been walking about the Close
for the last ten minutes,--Miss Stanbury was still in the parlour.

"There they are!" she exclaimed, jumping up. "They haven't given
a body much time to run away, have they, my dear? Half a minute,
Martha,--just half a minute!" Then she gathered up her things as
though she had been ill-treated in being driven to make so sudden a
retreat, and Martha, as soon as the last hem of her mistress's dress
had become invisible on the stairs, opened the front door for the
visitors.

"Do you mean to say you