"No, thank you, I must be going now. I am so glad to have seen you. Miss St Just. It is a very great honour to make your acquaintance. I trust some day you will be induced to come to see us in our home. We should be so glad to get your opinion with regard to further improvements which we are anxious to make. You will come, won't you, come day? It would be such a very great pleasure." Angela gave a dubious promise, and the next minute the girls were hurrying down the street. "What a detestable creature!" said Marcia. "Oh, no, she belongs to a type," said Angela. "But I don't want to think of the awful things they have done at Court Prospect. They think they have improved my garden--my dear, dear garden." CHAPTER FOURTEEN. THE INTRODUCTION. Meanwhile Nesta was in a state of wild excitement. No sooner had Marcia and Angela gone down the street than she darted into the drawing room. "Well," she said, "is it all right? Did you really see her? Was she properly introduced to you? Can you say in future that you know her? When you meet her, will you be able to bow to her? Have you contrived to get her promise to come and see you? Tell me everything, everything." "What affair is it of yours, child?" said Clara crossly. For although she had met Miss St Just, it seemed to her that she had made but small way with that young lady. "It means everything to me--everything possible. Do you know her?" "Of course, I know her! Is it likely that your sister would be so rude, so fearfully rude as not to introduce me when I was in the room?" "I don't know," replied Nesta. "Marcia can be rude enough when she likes." "Well, anyhow, she wasn't. She did introduce us, and Miss St Just was most pleasant. She has far nicer manners than your sister." "That wouldn't be difficult," said Nesta. "Marcia is so very stand-offish." "Ridiculously proud and prudish, I call her," said Clay. "And do you think Miss St Just as lovely as you always did?" "Oh, far, far more lovely. She puts every one else into the shade. I invited her to Court Prospect, and I expect she'll come. I am going home now, and shall try to get up a grand party in her honour. After what she said to me she could hardly refuse. It is all delightful." "Yes, delightful!" said Nesta. "Well, good-bye. Just mention to Penelope, will you, that you were introduced to her this morning." "I wonder why I should do that?" said Clara, as she settled herself in the little pony trap which was standing outside the door. "Oh, just to oblige me," said Nesta, and the next minute Clara Carter was out of sight. Nesta skipped joyfully into the house.