Miss Cherry’s sudden arrival at the Square was a sudden surprise to everybody, and, like most surprises, was not quite successful for the moment. She arrived in the afternoon, when Cara was out with Mrs. Meredith, and when her appearance with her box excited no small astonishment among the servants, who were quite unprepared for a visitor. And Miss Cherry was nervous and self-conscious, feeling her mission in every nerve, though all the rest of the world remained unaware of what she had come to do. When she had seen her things deposited in the spare room, and had been served with the unfailing cup of tea in poor Annie’s drawing-room, the sight of which, after so long, cost her some tears, she detained Nurse, who had brought this refreshment to her, to make what gentle preliminary investigations she could manage without exciting any suspicion. ‘Is Miss Cara happy, do you think? Does she like being with her papa? It must be a great change to her, Nurse. Of course, a child ought to be happy with her father; but--and then to change all at once from the country, and at this time of the year. Oh, Nurse! I hope my dear child is happy. You know how she was thought of at the Hill,’ said Miss Cherry, who was weeping-ripe, and scarcely could keep down the tears. ‘Well, ma’am, for happy I can’t say; but she keeps her ‘elth,’ said Nurse; ‘that is what I’ve got most to do with. I don’t think as there’s much to brag of in the mornings, when she’s here by herself. If I was master I’d get out of this house, Miss Cherry, and I’d pull this room to pieces, and change everything. That’s why he can’t abide to come in here. It’s almost as bad as if my poor lady was a-lying here in state still, though it’s five years and more since she was took from us. It’s all as I can do myself to keep steady when I sees all her things, as she took such pride in; and master he can’t stand it--and I don’t wonder. But it ought to be changed. When the young gentlemen comes in, then Miss Cara brightens up----’ ‘The young gentlemen, Nurse?’ ‘The Mr. Merediths, ma’am, from next door. Mr. Edward has but just come back; but Mr. Oswald has been here regular, almost every day, and that cheers up a young lady----’ ‘But, Nurse----!’ Cherry said, with a gasp, and could say no more. ‘Yes, ma’am--I allow as it’s running a risk,’ said Nurse, very gravely; ‘but what is a person to say? If there was a lady to take the charge--but master pays no attention. I don’t think as he ever notices who comes and who goes.’ ‘But, oh! why didn’t I know?’ cried Cherry. ‘Such a state of affairs ought not to have been permitted for a day.’