They then drove to Cecil’s house, where Mrs. Evelyn went in to let Esther know her hour of starting; but where Cecil came running down, and putting his head into the carriage, said—
“Come in, mamma; here’s the housemaid been bullying Essie, and she wants you to help her. These two can go round the park by themselves, can’t they?”
“Those are the most comical pair of children,” said Fordham, laughing, as the carriage moved on. “Will Esther ever make a serene highness?”
“It is not in her,” said Babie. “It might have been in Jessie, if her General was not such a horrid old martinet as to hinder the development; but Essie is much nicer as she is.”
Meantime, Fordham’s fingers were on the knot of the string of his parcel.
“Oh, you are going to peep in? I am so glad.”
“Since mamma is not here to laugh at me.”
“You’ll tell her you did it to please the Babie!”
“There, it is you that are doing it now,” as her vigorous little fingers plucked far more effectively at the cord than his thin weak ones.
Out came at last one of the choice dark green books, with a clematis wreath stamped on the cover, and it was put into Barbara’s lap.