The twins had both grown, but Lillie was still taller than her sister, and consequently older-looking, which was a grief to Rose, who longed to be grown up. Philip made such a great advance in her opinion by telling her she always seemed to him much older than himself that she felt amiably disposed to be very gracious to him.
Mrs. Norton’s pleasant manner even overcame Miss Acton’s shyness, and the visit that had been thought of with dread turned out to be a very charming one for all. All sorts of excursions, in carriages and on foot, were undertaken by the children in Miss Acton’s company, and sometimes, when a very attractive place was to be visited, Aunt Delia and Mrs. Norton joined the party, and added much to its pleasure.
“Something very important and mysterious must have happened,” said Dr. Norton one evening, “for Philip and Aunt Delia have been running in and out and whispering to each other for the last half hour. What is the matter?”
“Wait a little while, and don’t be inquisitive,” said his aunt.
“But how can I help it when even old Peter seems to be aiding and abetting the mystery and I am not allowed an inkling of it?” said Dr. Norton, with a pretence of feeling very much injured.
It then became plain to every one that there was a secret to be fathomed and a plot of some kind going on, and instant and earnest were the demands of the twins to be intrusted at once with the secret.
“Does Miss Acton know, Aunt Delia?” asked Lillie, who had become very fond of Philip’s governess.
“No, not yet,” said Philip, answering for his aunt.
“Does mamma know?” asked Rose.
“Nobody knows yet,” said Aunt Delia, as gleefully as if she was a child; “but now you may all know. I didn’t want to say anything till we were quite sure, but now I think there will be no failure. You know Ashden has been closed to visitors ever since the family went abroad ten years ago. Last summer young Mr. Frederick Ashden came back to look after some repairs about the place, and now that his father is dead and he is Lord Ashden, he has decided to live there, and the house is being cleaned and put in order. He is in London now, but I have received a note from him in answer to one I sent him asking if we might go over the house; for I knew that it would be such a treat to you all. It used to be the great show place of the country.”