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shrugged and passed on. It occurred to me only afterwards that she had probably similarly encountered her Papa on the stairs in his descent.

CHAPTER four
    As might be imagined, I dreamed much that night of what had passed and became restless for more. My cream puff had been well filled, but sought extra dosages. I was not to be lacking in them, as will be seen—nor was Elaine. That which we immediately ventured upon was wicked in the extreme and I doubt not that had I demurred in the linen room and been of lesser daring, my Uncle would have sought some excuse not to take us, for it was apparent to me that he saw in his daughter a mischievous but innocent girl who knew as little as I had seemed to him to do about the ways of the world.
    Time floats and passes, however, and soon enough the hour was upon us, I affecting a dark red dress and Elaine a blue one. Our stockings matched our gowns, for we had decided upon that in terms of appearance, were we to be disrobed. I had no doubt now that we were to be and told my cousin so.
    “What will you do, then, if your Papa sees you without any drawers on?” I asked. I had not forgotten what she had said about his implement and was still very curious about it.
    “Well, he must not, for you must divert him,” she answered and I am sure quite believed herself. “Besides, Arabella, I am sure that there will be quite a crowd there and in all the bustle and gaiety no one will notice what others are at. If Papa does see my bottom I shall be careful to keep my face hid and he will know not who it belongs to, for I swear I will not dance about without any clothes on — and neither must you,” she added with remarkable solemnity.
    “Oh, as to that, I am sure excitement will overtake us if it is all that you say, but what a lark it will be if all is rumour and nothing happens!”
    “You silly, of course it will, as soon as everyone is in their cups. Be sure that you see to Papa if anyone lifts my skirts.”
    “Of course,” I replied demurely, though it seemed to me even then that Elaine was containing herself too much and I already thinking ahead of her. It was scarcely to be imagined that the three of us could attend such a rumbustious event without several untoward events occurring. As I had learned even briefly in the linen room, the fevered imagination quickly rises to a pitch at which all things are possible. In the immediate aftermath they drain away and become dissolved, for there is a momentary peace and a delicious sense of floating. Soon enough however the imagination soars again and no bars are to be put then upon such enticements as enter the mind. Thus I thought and most curiously in so doing was a step ahead of my cousin who but hours before had been my mentor. A desire arose in me to see her being exercised, as we were prone to call it. Had her Papa not weakly conceded to her wishes then all would have been different and mayhap fewer opportunities would have arisen to put her philosophy to the test.
    We affected no gaiety upon our departure at eight of the evening in question, for it was to be seen by my aunt that we were upon solemn business. By good fortune she was a rather vague lady and would no doubt have forgotten by the morrow what the purpose of our outing had been.
    The house of the Rt. Hon. Edward Eastwood and his family was one of the grandest in the neighbourhood. It was said often enough in joke that all looked up to them, for their mansion stood upon a slow rise among many rolling acres. The jogging of the carriage as we made our way there did nothing but encourage my now passionate temperament, for my bottom bounced up and down all the while as did Elaine's. It being dusk already we could see little enough of her father who accommodated himself on the seat opposite, but I did not doubt that his thoughts of the advancing night were as much as mine.
    The house was well lit as our carriage at last approached the entrance. But a single aged servant appeared