Colonel Mohun and Lord Rotherwood were going to Darminster to see what was the state of the investigation about Mr. Flinders. They set out directly after breakfast, and after the feeding of the pets, where Valetta joined them, much consoled by the prospect of the extemporary Butterfly’s Ball at home, Lady Phyllis, with her usual ready adaptability, repaired with the others to the schoolroom, where the Psalms and Lessons were read, and a small amount of French reading in turn from ‘En Quarantaine’ followed, with accompaniment of needlework or drawing, after which the children were free.
Aunt Jane was going home to her Sunday school and the Rockstone festivities. She came down for her final talk with her sister just in time to perceive the folding up of three five-pound notes.
‘Lily,’ she said, with instant perception, ‘I could beat myself for what I told you yesterday.’
Lady Merrifield laughed. ‘The girls are very good about it!’ she said. ‘Now you have found it out, see whether that note will make Miss Hacket swallow it.’
‘Can’t be better! But oh. Lily, it is disgusting! Could not I rig up something fanciful for the children?’
‘That’s not so much the point. ‘The General’s lady,’ as Mrs. Halfpenny would say, is bound not to look like ‘ane scrub,’ as she would be unwelcome to Victoria, and what would be William’s feelings? I could hardly have accomplished it even with this, and the catastrophe settles the matter.’
‘You could not get into my black satin?’
‘No, I thank you, my dear little Brownie,’ said Lady Merrifield, elongating herself like a girl measuring heights.
‘Ada has a larger assortment, as well as a taller person,’ continued Miss Jane, ‘but then they are rather ‘henspeckle,’ and they have all made their first appearance at Rotherwood.’
‘No, no, thank you, my dear, Jasper would not like the notion—even if there was not more of me than of Ada. I have no doubt it is much better for us.’