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her face flushing as she recalled her anger.
    “His lordship is concerned for you.” Aggie kept her voice calm, but it didn’t help.
    “Concerned?” said Cecilie. “The man is a monster! Imagine, there I was, taking a little stroll with Dillydums, quite enjoying myself. Nodding to the gentlemen and ladies that I passed. Then along comes the Earl, flies off the hooks, and begins bellowing at me. The grooms carry me forcibly into the carriage. Forcibly, Aggie! It was just too embarrassing.”
    “Cecilie, his lordship is very concerned. Young ladies do not walk about London alone.”
    “I can’t see why not,” Cecilie declared. “It’s just lovely.”
    “Cecilie , you must listen. There are men about, wicked men, who might spirit you away to Gretna Green.”
    Cecilie stared at her, eyes wide with wonder. “To Gretna Green?”
    Aggie nodded. “Yes, and once married you would have no recourse.”
    “How very romantic,” cried Cecilie. “An elopement.”
    Aggie shook her head in exasperation. “No, more like a kidnapping. There is nothing romantic about it. These are wicked men. To be married to one would be terrible.” She called on her imagination to present her with images suitably terrifying to Cecilie’s young mind. “You would have no fun, no new gowns, no pin money. You would not even get out of the house.”
    Cecilie considered this. “It does sound bad, Aggie. Don’t worry. I won’t consider it.”
    “Cecilie!” Aggie’s patience was worn thin. “One does not consider being abducted. One does not reason with such men.”
    “All right, Aggie.” Cecilie tossed her bright curls. “I’ll be careful.”
    And with this Aggie had to be content. She knew that if she pressed any further she would only aggravate Cecilie and not serve her purpose at all.
    “Did his lordship say anything about my come out?” asked Cecilie, their scuffle evidently forgotten.
    Aggie shook her head. “This did not seem like a good time to raise the subject,” she said with an irony completely lost on her charge.
    “I have decided what sort of gown I want,” said Cecilie, eyes aglow. “I want to get to the dressmaker and order it.”
    “What sort of gown have you in mind?” asked Aggie, fearing the worst.
    Cecilie grinned. “It’s to be a deep deep blue with a neck cut so.” Her hands made a sweeping motion over her bosom.
    Aggie stifled a sigh. “Deep blue is not a suitable color for a coming out ball,” she said softly. “And if that neckline is to dip to where your hand indicated, his lordship will never agree.”
    Cecilie’s pink lips settled into a pout. “He’s so stuffy. Why did Papa have to give me such a guardian?”
    “I’m sure he thought he had your welfare in mind. You know your papa always wanted the best for you.”
    Cecilie frowned. “Well, his lordship is certainly not the best.” A curious look came over her face and she tickled the monkey’s ears absently. “But he has got an interesting chest. I wish that I might see it again.”
    “ Cecilie !” This time Aggie could not contain her annoyance. “Young ladies should not even be aware of that portion of a gentleman’s - anatomy.”
    “But, Aggie, you saw it. How could you not be aware? It was so - hairy. And the hair curled in the cutest little way.”
    “Cecilie! Stop that this instant.” Aggie was aware that her face had flushed red and a quite disconcerting picture of the Earl’s chest had flashed onto the screen of her memory. Vainly she tried to wipe it off. “Cecilie,” she hoped her tone was f i rm, “young ladies never talk about such things.”
    “But why not? It’s very interesting. I wonder why young ladies don’t grow such hair.”
    “Cecilie! Well-bred young ladies should not see such things. At least until after they are married.”
    “But then,” said Cecilie, with the inexorable logic of the young, “it would be too late.”
    “Too late for what?” inquired Aggie, intrigued in spite of