whence the Rotherwoods would fetch her. If the lady's letter had
been much less urgent, who could have withstood her lord's
postscript: 'If you could see the little pale face light up at the
bare notion of seeing Mysie, you would know how grateful we shall be
for her.'

Mysie herself heard her destiny without much elation, though she was
very fond of Lady Phyllis, and the tears came into her eyes at the
thought of her being unwell and wanting her.

'Mamma said we must not grumble,' she said to Gillian; 'but I shall
feel so lost without you and Val. It is so unhomish, and there's
that dreadful German Fraulein, who was not at home last time.'

'If you told mamma, perhaps she would let you stay,' returned
Gillian. 'I know I should hate it, worse than I do going to
Rockstone and without you.'

'That would be unkind to poor Fly,' said Mysie. 'Besides, mamma said
she could not have settling and unsettling for ever. And I shall see
Primrose sometimes; besides, I do love Fly. It's marching orders,
you know.'

It was Valetta who made the most objection. She declared that it was
not fair that Mysie, who had been to the ball at Rotherwood, should
go again to live with lords and ladies, while she went to a nasty
day-school with butchers' and bakers' daughters. She hoped she
should grow horridly vulgar, and if mamma did not like it, it would
be her own fault!