"So am I," echoed Miss Pring, a pleased smile lighting up her plain countenance. "I feel my labour is rewarded. By the way, Celia, I saw your sister yesterday; she took tea with us at Home Vale, and desired me to keep my eyes open for you at the flower show, and report to her how you are looking, so you must not think me rude if I regard you scrutinously, for Joy will be certain to ask me scores of questions about you when I see her next."
Miss Pring paused, and much to Celia's alarm, fixed her eyes on the butterfly brooch, which, for the moment, the little girl had quite forgotten. She made no remark, however, though she certainly wondered where Celia had procured the ornament; she herself was not a judge of jewels, and she concluded the diamonds were merely Parisian—never for an instant did she dream they were real.
"Have you seen your brother?" Miss Pring inquired, removing her eyes from the brooch to Celia's countenance, which evinced astonishment at her question.
"No! Eric? Is he here?"
"Yes. He came with Mr. Cole and Lawrence Puttenham. You will be sure to run across him directly."
Celia was delighted at the prospect of meeting her brother, and her fair face beamed with happiness until she suddenly bethought herself again of the butterfly brooch. She knew Eric's sharp eyes would immediately notice it, and that he would question her about it. What should she do? She began to wish the brooch was securely locked away in Sir Jasper's safe, instead of being in her possession.
Mr. Tillotson insisted on Miss Pring and the two girls now accompanying him to the refreshment tent, where they all had tea. There they encountered Miss Mary Pring and Mr. Cole, and Celia was uncomfortably conscious that the former took note of her brooch with considerable surprise, though she made no comment upon it. Then Celia caught sight of Eric and his friend, at the far end of the tent, eating ices, and the pleasure she experienced at the sight of her brother was spoilt by the fear that the moment they met he would commence to ply her with embarrassing questions about her borrowed ornament.
"I see Eric and Lawrence Puttenham," she said to Lulu, "I should like to speak to them. Won't you come with me and be introduced to them?"
Lulu agreed readily, for she was curious to see her friend's brother, of whom she had heard so much. So the girls began to make their way slowly through the crowd.
Seizing a favourable opportunity when her companion's eyes were turned away from her, Celia unfastened the butterfly brooch and slipped it into her pocket. She was vexed to be obliged to hide it, but reflected that it was better to do that than to have to account for it to Eric.