‘I know that very well, Mysie, and this is a much harder trial, as you don’t get the honour and glory of it; and, besides, you will have to take care to say not a word of this reason to Fly or Valetta, or any one else.’
‘Val will be awfully disappointed,’ said Gillian.
‘Poor Val! But I should not have taken her anyway, so that matters the less. I should have taken Jasper, for that would have been more convenient than so many girls. In fact, I did not mean anybody to have heard of it till I had made up my mind, so that there would have been no disappointment; but that naughty Cousin Rotherwood could not keep it to himself; and so, my poor maidens, you have to bear it with a good grace, and to be treated as my confidential friends.’
Mysie smiled and kissed her mother—Gillian cleared somewhat, but observing, ‘I only wish it wasn’t clothes;’ tried to dismiss the subject as the gong began to sound, but Mysie caught her mother’s dress, and said, ‘Mayn’t I tell Fly, for a great secret?’
‘No, my dear, certainly not. Fly is a dear little girl, but we don’t know how she can keep secrets, and it would never do to let the Rotherwoods know; papa and Uncle William would be exceedingly annoyed. And only think of Miss Hacket’s feelings if it came round. It will be hard enough to get her to take it now.’
‘Perhaps she won’t,’ flashed into the minds of both girls; but Mysie said entreatingly, ‘One moment more, mamma, please! What can I say to Fly that will be the truth?’
‘Say that I find we cannot go, and that I had never promised,’ said Lady Merrifield. ‘I trust you, my dears.’
And as she opened the door to hurry down to prayers, the two sisters felt the words very precious and inspiriting. Mysie lingered on the step and bravely asked Gillian whether her eyes looked like crying—
‘No, only a little twinkly,’ answered the elder sister; ‘they will be all right after prayers if you don’t rub them.’
‘No, I won’t, said Mysie; “I’ll try to mean ‘Thy will be done.’ For I suppose it is His will, though it is mamma’s.”