“My dear,” he said, “I am off to London for the day.”
“What for?” she asked.
“I will tell you, darling, when I return to-night.”
“Cyril, may I not come with you?”
“I think not, my love. Make all the young people as happy as you can. I’m just off to the station, in the motor-car.”
Mr. Cardew left his wife’s room. The girls were told at breakfast that their father had gone to London; but as this frequently happened, and was invariably connected with that business which they knew nothing whatever about, they were not keenly interested. As a matter of fact, they were much more absorbed in getting things ready for the entertainment of their friends; and in this Mrs. Cardew very heartily joined them. She proposed that during Maggie Howland’s visit the five girls should have as happy a time together as possible; and as the weather was perfect the invariable picnics and gipsy teas were arranged for their benefit.
“You can all make yourselves happy here to-day, my darlings,” said Mrs. Cardew, addressing Cicely and Merry. “To-morrow, when your father is here, the Tristrams, he and I, and you girls will have a very pleasant picnic to the Aldersleigh woods. We will arrange it to-day, for there is nothing your father enjoys more than a whole, long, happy day in the open air. I will speak to Mrs. Fairlight, and tell her to have all things in readiness for our picnic.”
“Oh mummy, how good! how good!” said Merry, clasping her mother’s hand. Then she added, “Mummy, is it true that Miss Beverley is never going to teach us any more?”
“I am afraid it is only too true, Merry; but this is holiday-time, darling; we needn’t talk of your education just at present.”
“Only, we must be educated—mustn’t we, mother?”