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it ’ s only right she should bear you company, seeing as ‘ twas her totty-headedness got you into this fix in the first place. ”
    So that was settled. Then came the question of some reliable person to watch over Mrs. Carteret for two days.
    “ At least, poor lady, she ’ s not like to get out of bed and run off to St Paul ’ s now, ” sighed Miss Anne.
    This was true, and though Delphie grieved to see her mother so quiet, docile, and biddable, it did mean that Mrs. Carteret could be left without apprehension of any more disastrous excursions at the present time.
    “ Can you suggest any kind, reliable woman with nursing experience who would take charge of her? ” Delphie inquired.
    “ Say, Sister, ” exclaimed Jenny, “ how about Aunt Andrews from Edmonton? ‘ Tis about time for her town visit, any road, and the old lady might as well make herself useful while she is here. By the same token, she dotes on cosseting folk and coddling ‘ em — she ’ s never happier than when she had some poor soul in bed and can make them up all her Panaceas and Elixatives. ”
    “ For once, Sister, you have struck on a sensible notion, ” said Miss Anne, and she assured Delphie that Aunt Andrews would be the most kindly and capable person in the world to look after an invalid. So a note was dispatched to the old lady (who lived with a married son) and at the same time Delphie wrote to Mr. Browty ’ s coachman in Russell Square, bidding him be in readiness to drive her to Kent on the third day from then.
    “ Ah, you poor dear, and you can do with an outing yourself, ” said Miss Anne sympathetically, “ so tired and hagged-looking as you ’ ve been ever since your Ma took sick. ”
    “ Indeed if my relatives accept me, it certainly won ’ t be for my looks, ” agreed Delphie, whose mirror told her that her face had become as thin and pale as an almond and that her gray eyes appeared overlarge in their shadowed sockets.
    But she still could hardly regard the journey to Kent as a restorative outing or an excursion of pleasure. Too much hung on its outcome.
    “ Tell you what ,” proposed Miss Anne, looking her up and down. “ What you need is a new gown (asking your pardon for the liberty, Miss Delphie), for every stitch on your back you ’ ve had since I dunno when, and, when all ’ s said and done, there ’ s nowt like new clothes for making a body feel more the thing. ”
    “ Lor, yes, Sister, what a famous notion! ” struck in Jenny. “ Let ’ s rig up Miss as fine as fivepence! It ’ s a downright shame she should be going about all the time in threadbare bombazine and linsey - woolsey when she ’ s a figure as would set off the finest silks and velvets. ”
    Delphie demurred very much at this.
    “ My relations must take me as they find me, ” she said. “ Besides, if I were rigged out very fine, they would hardly believe in the necessity of my application. ”
    “ Ay; very true, ” said Anne. “ But there ’ s a difference (asking your pardon again, miss) betwixt being too fine, and being barely decent, and the back breadth of that gown you have on, Miss Delphie, is so rubbed I can just about see my face in it. ”
    Reluctantly, Delphie was brought to agree that if she were too shabby her grand relatives might take her in scorn; and, as Aunt Andrews, when she arrived, proved to be a cheerful, friendly old countrywoman with a white-covered basket, who was astonished that she should be offered payment for looking after a sick person, since this was a most particular treat to her, and could with the utmost difficulty be brought to accept a fee of two guineas, the sisters managed to persuade Delphie to lay out a couple more of Mr. Browty ’ s guineas on clothes. They escorted her to the Pantheon Bazaar, where the most amazing bargains were to be found, and gave her the benefit of their experience in selecting some lengths of French cambric in a very pretty dark blue shade, for a carriage dress, and