But she had splendid points in her character, and
these were coming slowly to the fore.

Still, there were times when she was exceedingly naughty. Rosamund,
having written to her mother, and so set her mind completely at rest,
thought no longer of the sort of disgrace in which she was living as
regarded the Merrimans. She was now anxious that Irene should make
friends.

"There is no use whatever," she said, "in shutting a girl like Irene up
with me. She ought to know the Singletons. I will ask Lady Jane if we
may drive over some day and see them. Why shouldn't we go to-day? Irene
has been quite good this morning. I dare say I could manage it. She
won't like meeting Miss Carter; but she must get over that feeling.
There's nothing for it but for her to live like ordinary girls. If she
refuses, I shall beg of Lady Jane to take us both from The Follies, to
take a house somewhere else for at least six months, and to let us make
new friends. But that does seem ridiculous, when The Follies is such a
lovely place, and Irene's real home. Of course, I can't always stay with
her, although I mean to stay for the present."

Rosamund ran up to Lady Jane, who was pacing up and down on the terrace.
Irene, as usual, was in her boat. She was floating idly about the lake.
The day was intensely hot. She wore a graceful white frock and her
pretty white shady hat; her little white hand was dabbling in the water,
and her graceful little figure was looking almost like a nymph of the
stream.

Lady Jane turned with a beaming face to Rosamund.

"What is it now, my dear?" she said.

"Well, of course, you have heard the good news. Everything is all right
at the Merrimans', neither Irene nor I have taken the infection, none of
the other girls have taken it, Jane is getting well again, and I have
written a full account of everything to mother."

"That doesn't mean, my darling Rosamund, that you are going to leave us?
I really couldn't consent to part with you. I can never, never express
all that you have been to me," said poor Lady Jane, her eyes filling
with tears.

"Well, I can only part from you by going back to mother, for they won't
receive me any more at the Merrimans'."

"But why not, Rosamund?"

"Because I have taken up with Irene. But we needn't go into that now.
What I want to know is, may Irene and I have the governess-cart, and may
Miss Frost go with us, and may we drive over to the Singletons'?"

"Of course you may, Rosamun