The advances came from them; Lady Barbara said very truly, that she
could not be responsible for making so naughty a child as her niece
the companion of any well-regulated children; she was sure that their
mother could not wish it, since nice and good as they naturally were,
this unlucky Katharine seemed to infect them with her own spirit of
riot and turbulence whenever they came near her.

There was no forwarding of the attempts to make appointments for
walks in the Park, though really very little harm had ever come of
them, guarded by the two governesses, and by Lady Fanny's decided
ideas of propriety. That Kate embarked in long stories, and in their
excitement raised her voice, was all that could be said against her
on those occasions, and Mrs. Lacy forbore to say it.

Once, indeed, Kate was allowed to ask her friends to tea; but that
proved a disastrous affair. Fanny was prevented from coming; and in
the absence of her quiet elder-sisterly care, the spirits of Grace
and Adelaide were so excited by Kate's drollery, that they were past
all check from Mary, and drew her along with them into a state of
frantic fun and mad pranks.

They were full of merriment all tea time, even in the presence of the
two governesses; and when that was over, and Kate showed "the
bracket," they began to grow almost ungovernable in their spirit of
frolic and fun: they went into Kate's room, resolved upon being
desert travellers, set up an umbrella hung round with cloaks for a
tent, made camels of chairs, and finding those tardy, attempted
riding on each other--with what results to Aunt Jane's ears below may
be imagined--dressed up wild Arabs in bournouses of shawls, and made
muskets of parasols, charging desperately, and shrieking for attack,