come over her again, and with it a thought so selfish, that it can
hardly be called otherwise than naughty--namely, that grown-up people
in trouble were very tiresome, and never let young ones have any fun.

"Shall I take you to see Mrs. Lacy, my dear?" said Lady Barbara,
rising. And as Kate took hold of Mr. Wardour's hand, she added, "You
will see Mr. Wardour again after dinner. You had better dress, and
have some meat for your tea, with Mrs. Lacy, and then come into the
drawing-room."

This was a stroke upon Kate. She who had dined with the rest of the
world ever since she could remember--she, now that she was a
countess, to be made to drink tea up-stairs like a baby, and lose all
that time of Papa's company! She swelled with displeasure: but Aunt
Barbara did not look like a person whose orders could be questioned,
and "Papa" said not a word in her favour. Possibly the specimen of
manners she had just given had not led either him or Lady Barbara to
think her fit for a late dinner.

Lady Barbara first took her up-stairs, and showed her a little long
narrow bed-room, with a pretty pink-curtained bed in it.

"This will be your room, my dear," she said. "I am sorry we have not
a larger one to offer you; but it opens into mine, as you see, and my
sister's is just beyond. Our maid will dress you for a few days,
when I hope to engage one for you."

Here was something like promotion! Kate dearly loved to have herself
taken off her own hands, and not to be reproved by Mary for
untidiness, or roughly set to rights by Lily's nurse. She actually