"My mother has invited you, and my aunt says that you may come," returned Agatha still loftily.
The mention of Mrs. Desmond recalled Helen to her better mind. She jumped out of the hammock.
"I must make myself tidy first," she said with a smile and a sudden change of tone that perplexed her companion. "I oughtn't to have kept you standing here. Will you come in and sit down while I get ready?"
"I have already spent half an hour with my aunt, and I think I had better not disturb her again," said Agatha primly.
"Oh, no! of course not," returned Helen. "We will go to my room by the backstairs, then we sha'n't disturb anybody."
The two girls went off together. Agatha, whose temper had been a good deal ruffled, and who considered herself vastly Helen's superior, was not disposed to be friendly, although Helen was already ashamed of her blunt speeches, and tried to make amends for them by chatting pleasantly as they went along. Her companion's frank and natural manner was not what Agatha had expected, and she remained stiffly silent. On the backstairs they encountered Martha, who was on her way to find Helen, and who did not improve Agatha's temper by sending her to wait in the library, while Helen was carried off to be tidied under Martha's own eye, after which process she was to speak with Mrs. Desmond before leaving the house.
"I hope, Helen, that you will behave properly," said that lady when Helen, a little shrinking and downcast, as she always was now in her stepmother's presence, appeared before her. "I scarcely like letting you go, my sister's children are so well brought up. Pray be careful, and avoid, if you can, doing anything dreadful. Don't loll in your chair at the table, and please only speak when you are spoken to."
"I—I will do my best," answered Helen, struggling with her rising temper. "Is that all?"
Mrs. Desmond looked at her sharply. "I hope you are not going to sulk, Helen. I should not have said this had I not recollected your forward behaviour when my cousin, Miss Macleod, was with us. Take example from Agatha. She is really a charming girl. So gentle and ready to please! so full of deference for her elders! With a little polish—"
"Agatha can get into a passion and box her little brother's ears when she thinks that no one is looking," burst out Helen.