"Oh, Juliet! How lovely! What a capital idea!" said Flossie, laughing heartily. "Algernon says it is shameful of anyone to think of making a governess of you. He says your people don't deserve to have you. He is just mad about it. You should hear how he goes on."
"The lady will not want me till the autumn, happily," said Juliet. "She wishes to engage someone before she goes to the seaside. Are you going to the sea, Flossie?"
"Yes, we are going to Margate," said Flossie. "I like Margate, don't you? Where will you go, Juliet?"
"Oh, I don't know. Mother and I will perhaps get a fortnight at Herne Bay together. Hannah is going to Cambridge, and Salome is to accompany the Hayeses to a religious convention in the North. It will be nice to get rid of them for a while; but I don't care much for anything with this hanging over me."
As the girls talked together there came across the green, from one of the houses opposite, a young clergyman accompanied by a little boy. As he approached the bench on which they were seated, he paused and exclaimed in a tone of vexation, "There! I've forgotten the packet I promised to post. Run back for it, Archie, there's a dear boy. You'll see it on the hall table."
"You will wait for me, Uncle Arthur?" the little fellow stipulated ere he sped away.
"Of course I shall wait for you. See, I will sit here till you come back." And he seated himself on the farther end of the bench.
The girls glanced at him with some curiosity and then continued their talk, Juliet instinctively lowering her tones and Flossie as characteristically raising hers. She was one who never lost an opportunity of showing herself off, and cherished the delusion that her words and bearing could not fail to please everyone.
"Really, Juliet," she exclaimed flightily, "it is very odd to think of your becoming a governess. Everyone will be calling you Miss Tracy."
"Indeed, I hope they will not address me in that prim way," said Juliet; "I shall hate it."