Mrs. Ellsworthy, still keeping the Pink in her arms, held out her
other hand to Primrose.

"I have introduced myself to your sisters, dear Miss Mainwaring. I am
Mrs. Ellsworthy, of Shortlands--a near neighbor. You must not consider
my visit an intrusion."

Before Primrose could reply Jasmine exclaimed volubly--

"Indeed we don't--we are quite delighted; we were feeling ourselves
awfully dull. Miss Martineau said every one would call now she had
been. We did not want to see every one, but you are different."

"You are delightful," echoed Daisy.

Primrose felt herself almost cross. "Girls, do stop chattering," she
said. "Mrs. Ellsworthy, I hope you will excuse my sisters; and won't
you come into the drawing-room?"

"I am charmed with your sisters," answered the great lady--"they are
fresh, they are original. Dear Miss Mainwaring, why need we leave this
delightful garden? can we not have our little talk here?"

"With pleasure," said Primrose, but her stiffness did not disappear;
she still had a slightly sore feeling at the bottom of her heart, and
the thought that Mrs. Ellsworthy never took the trouble to know dear
mamma kept recurring.

Mrs. Ellsworthy was quite woman of the world enough to read Primrose,
and to guess what was in her heart. She saw at a glance that the girls