Lessons went off well, thanks to Bridget's putting a good deal of
control on herself, though there _were_ moments that morning which made
the young governess say to herself that she could understand its being
_sometimes_ true that Biddy was tiresome and trying. When Celestina was
putting on her hat and jacket to go she gave Biddy a little touch on the
arm.

'I asked mother,' she whispered, 'about what you said, and mother says
perhaps some day you would come early in the afternoon, and we could
play with the dolls and have tea for ourselves out of mother's toy cups
that she had when she was a little girl. They are so pretty. It wouldn't
be quite a real tea, for we don't have real tea till past five, but I'm
sure mother would get us some little cakes, and we might make it a sort
of a feast.'

Biddy's eyes sparkled.

'Oh, that would be nice,' she exclaimed. 'Yes, please, tell your mother
I'd like to come very much. And just fancy, Celestina, that horrid Alie
said it was very rude of me to have asked you to ask me. I'm sure it
wasn't, now, was it?'

Celestina grew red and hesitated.

'I'm sure you didn't mean to be rude, Miss Biddy,' she said. 'Mother
said----' but here she stopped.

'What did she say?' demanded Biddy.

'I didn't mean to say that she said anything,' poor Celestina answered,