Marion. Get along and hide your bare feet behind the tree, Royal. I’d be ashamed to go without shoes if ’twas me.
Susan. O leave me alone—you be worse nor a nest of waspes—that you be.
Grandmother. [Turning fiercely round.] Us’ll smoke them out of their holes one day—see if us do not.
[They pass over to the tree where the Grandmother sits down and Susan crouches by her side. Presently they are joined by Jockie. The girls sing a verse or two of another song, and during this Lady Millicent, enveloped in a big cloak, goes over to the tree, followed by Alice, also wearing a long cloak and they sit down by the side of Susan.
Marion. [Pointing.] Who are those yonder, Rose?
Rose. I’m sure I don’t know, Marion—strangers, may be.
Marion. O my heart goes wild this afternoon.
Rose. Mine too. Look, there they come.
[The Music begins to play and old Lady Cullen, followed by her lady companions, comes slowly towards the dais, on which she seats herself.
Lady Cullen. Dear me, what a gathering to be sure.