"I'm so glad to be together again," said Bee, "it seems to me as if I had hardly seen you to-day, Rosy."
"What nonsense!" said Rosy. "Why, I was only in auntie's room for about a quarter of an hour after Miss Pink went."
"A quarter of an hour," said Bee. "No indeed, Rosy. You were more than an hour, I am sure. I was reading to Fixie in the nursery, for he's got a cold and he mayn't go out, and you don't know what a great lot I read. And oh, Rosy, Fixie wants so to know if he may have your beads this afternoon, just to hold in his hand and look at. He can't hurt them."
"Very well," said Rosy. "He may have them for half an hour or so, but not longer."
"Shall I go and give them to him now?" said Bee, ready to run off.
"Oh no, he won't need them just yet. Let's have a run first. Let's see which of us will get to the middle bush first—you go right and I'll go left."
This race round the lawn was a favourite one with the children. They were playing merrily, laughing and calling to each other, when a messenger was seen coming to them from the house. It was Samuel the footman.
"Miss Rosy," he said as he came within hearing, "you must please to come in at onst. Miss Vincent is going a drive and you are to go with her."
"Oh!" exclaimed Rosy, "I don't think I want to go."
"I think you must," said Bee, though she could not help sighing a little.