"Oh, I love them!"
"Well, then, go and gather a bunch with some lady's grass and southernwood, and afterwards come into the breakfast-room."
Marigold willingly did as she had been told. Miss Pamela arranged the flowers in delicate glass vases for the table, whilst her little niece looked on admiringly, thinking how nice it was to have a beautiful garden, and what a pleasant apartment the breakfast-room was, with its view from the window of apple-trees bursting into bloom, rows of peas and beans appearing above the brown earth, and a profusion of spring flowers.
When Miss Holcroft came down a little later she was pleased to see Marigold looking bright and cheerful, and told her she knew she would be like sunshine in the house. Marigold laughed, and gave the old lady a hearty kiss.
On the whole, Marigold's first day in her new home passed happily enough. In the morning Miss Holcroft took her out shopping; and in the afternoon she went with Miss Pamela to the service at the cathedral.
Like most children brought up in a London suburb, Marigold had seen none of the great buildings, such as St. Paul's and Westminster Abbey, that are the pride and glory of our metropolis, and, therefore, when she saw the Exeter Cathedral for the first time, she was much impressed by its age and grandeur. A feeling of awe crept into her heart, and she looked around her with wondering eyes.
She followed her aunt into the sacred building with hushed, reverent footsteps, and entered with pleasure into the service. How grand it all was! The sunshine glinting through the richly coloured windows, the finely trained voices of the choir led in the treble parts by one clear boy's voice sweeter and higher than the rest.
The anthem that afternoon was taken from the twenty-fourth Psalm—
"'Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting
doors; and the King of glory shall come in.'"