“Trust me for that! Oh! if my darling Aileen were but here! But Tom is the very model of an actor, and Terry is grand, if only we can keep him out of the high tragedy line. King Lear is the mildest thing he condescends to!”
“Could you manage a Christmas-tree? The taking up a room beforehand is inconvenient; but I should like to offer some little substantial bait, even to the grown-up;” and her eyes twinkled merrily.
“I know a better thing,” said Rosamond; “an enchanted grove with a beneficent witch. We did it at St. Awdry’s, with bon-bons and trumpery, in a little conservatory, hardly large enough to turn round in. If I may have the key of the conservatory, I’ll manage.”
“You shall have what you please; and perhaps you would kindly go and choose the things at Backsworth. There is a very good fancy shop there.”
“Thank you, thank you! How sweet!—Now, Anne, you will see what you shall see!”
“Is there to be dancing?” asked Anne, humbly yet resolutely.
“There shall not be, my dear, if it will spoil the evening for you,” said Mrs. Poynsett.
“I promised,” said Anne.
At that moment the servants came in with the preparations for the afternoon tea, closely followed by the ever punctual Cecil.
Mrs. Poynsett asked her whether she would require the barouche on the morrow, since Rosamond and Anne would want it to go to Backsworth, to obtain requisites for a children’s entertainment to take place on Wednesday.