"There I that will do," said mother decisively. "It is not in the least likely that your cousin would come up to town without letting us know, or that she would be walking in Regent Street with a gentleman."
"All the same, it was Agneta," Dora muttered perversely under her breath.
I heard her with some uneasiness. More than once I had longed to speak to mother about Agneta's unhappy love affair; but I had promised her that I would say nothing about it, unless she gave me permission, and I felt bound to keep silence.
On the following day I returned to "Gay Bowers," having much enjoyed my brief sojourn at home. I was touched by the welcome I received from every one. They said so much about how they had missed me that I was in danger of fancying myself a very important person. With much satisfaction I learned that Paulina was going on as well as possible, and was already considered to have passed the worst stage of her illness. Mr. Dicks appeared to have recovered his usual equanimity. The least happy looking of the party was Agneta. It struck me that she had a worn and restless air which marred her prettiness. When I mentioned it to aunt, she said:
"Agneta is tired; she had a fatiguing day in town yesterday."
"In town!" I exclaimed in surprise. "We saw nothing of her."
"No, she thought she would not have time to get to Clapham," Aunt Patty said. "She meant to come back by an early train; but she missed it after all. I did not like her going alone after what Mrs. Redmayne said; but she wanted to get a new hat to wear at the Canfields' garden party, and she said she was going to meet an old school-fellow. Really, I did not know what to do, for I could not go with her myself."
"And she got a new hat?" I said.
"Two new hats, the extravagant girl!" said aunt. "She wore one home, leaving the old one to be sent back by post."
"Then she appeared in a grey hat with pink roses," I said.