“No, I will leave them to the princesses and duchesses. But look here, Aline,” said Audry, with an air of triumph, picking up a particularly beautiful smock, “I bought all the material with my own money and made it every bit myself, and Elspeth says I have done it very well.”
“You darling,” said Aline, and kissed her cousin again and again. “Oh, I do feel so happy.”
“But you have not finished,” said Audry, “and here’s a parcel you have not undone.”
Aline picked it up and turned it over. On it was written:—“From Mistress Mowbray.”
“A parcel from Mistress Mowbray; how strange!” and the little smooth white brow became slightly wrinkled.
Inside she found a note and a second wrapping. The note ran as follows,—
To Aline Gillespie,
Finding that others are concerned about your garments I have made it my duty to let you have something really appropriate to your condition at Holwick and that will express the feelings with which I shall always regard you. I trust you will think of me when you wear the necklace, although the contents of the pendant are another’s gift.
Eleanor Mowbray.
X Her mark.
“How does she regard me and what is appropriate to my condition?” queried Aline as she undid the second wrapper.
To her astonishment and amusement it contained an old potato-sack made into the shape of a camise. After what Mistress Mowbray had said about the coarse dowlas, Aline was half inclined to believe the gift was genuine. But, as she smiled, there fell out a red necklace made of small pieces of carrot with an enormous potato as a pendant.