"I cannot come," said Fanny, "I have promised to wait for him," with which unsatisfactory reply, Edith went on and left her. And Fanny did wait, some--instead of three--ten minutes, until her little feet ached, and her hands were blue with the cold, and her patience, as well as Carlo's, was well-nigh exhausted, he evincing his annoyance by sundry sharp barks and jumping up with his fore paws on her dress. At last, her patience quite worn out, Fanny walked round to the front of the house, where, just as she reached the terrace, she met Mr. Vavasour. "There," said he, placing a Camellia in her hand, "hold it as carefully as you can, for it is not fresh gathered, and may fall to pieces, and take it very gently to your governess." "Yes Sir, I will; but oh! what a time you have been, and how she will scold me for being so late, because it rang out four o'clock ever such a time ago, and Edith and Alice are long gone in." "Then do not stand talking, Fanny, but make haste in, and be careful of the flower." "But you must please take Carlo round to the left wing door for me, as Mamma does not like his coming in this way. You see his paws are quite dirty." "I suppose I must, but it's an intolerable nuisance." But the dog had not the slightest idea of losing his young mistress, and being dragged off in that ignominious way, but resisted the chain with all his might. "Suppose we undo his chain, and let him loose," suggested Robert. "I dare say Mamma will excuse his intrusion for this once." Away went Fanny, faithfully following out the instructions she had received, and carrying the flower most carefully, when suddenly a hand grasped her shoulder rather roughly. "Oh! cousin Frances, how you startled me!" said Fanny. "Where are you going to with that flower?" and she pointed to the Camellia Fanny held so gently between her small fingers. "It's for Miss Neville, cousin." "For Miss Neville is it? I suspected as much. Give it to me; let me look at it." "No, it will fall to pieces. He said so; and that I was to be very careful of it; so you musn't have it." "Who gave it you? Speak, child; I will know." But little Fanny inherited the Linchmore's spirit, and was nothing daunted at the other's stern, overbearing manner. In fact her little heart rose to fever heat; so tossing back her long, thick hair with one hand, while with the other she put the flower behind her, and looking her tall cousin steadily in the face, she replied defiantly-- "I shan't tell you." "How dare you say that, how dare you speak to me in that rude way; I will know who gave it to you. Tell me directly." "No I won't, cousin." Frances raised her hand to strike, but Fanny quailed not; she still held the flower behind her back, away from the other, and made her small figure as tall as she could, planting her little foot firmly so as to resist the blow to her utmost when it did come. But it came not. The hand fell, but not on Fanny.