"Here I am!" she said, "Did you expect to see me? Did you think I should come to say good-bye?" "How should I?" answered Amy, "I never knew you were going to-day, and I am sorry to see you cloaked for your journey." "And so am I; but Tom would not rest quiet without me any longer, so dear, I must go; the pony chaise will be round directly, and yet I should have liked to have sat with you for an hour or so before leaving." "Then why did you put off coming to see me until the last moment, Anne?" "I did not know I was going until half an hour ago. How is that wretched Frances? Will you say I had not time to stay and see her; I should so hate--although, mind, I pity her with all my heart,--giving her a sisterly embrace." "But," said Amy, "What occasion is there for such a warm farewell?" "Ah! thereby hangs a tale. The fact is I don't wish to see Frances Strickland." "Poor girl! She has suffered so much." "I wonder you can find it in your heart to pity her; but you were always an angel of goodness." "You are wrong, Anne," sighed Amy, "and I think you should go and see Miss Strickland." "You are evidently in the dark, Amy; I thought Julia would have written to you, and told you, as--she has me,--that she has been so stupid, so foolish, as to engage herself to cousin Alfred, Frances' brother. Is it not tiresome of her?" "But the marriage will scarcely affect you, Anne?" "Oh, but it will, though; for I had made up my mind Julia would be an old maid; she always said she would, and come some day and look after my children, if I ever have any," said Anne, blushing; "for I am sure I should puzzle to know how to dress them, much less understand how to manage them. Mamma says Aunt Mary--Mrs. Strickland--is very angry about the marriage, so I really do think Julia ought to give it up." "Why does your Aunt dislike it?" "Because Julia is penniless and a nobody; meaning, I suppose, that Alfred should marry some high born girl, who would, I have no doubt, snub him in the end. But then it would be so nice for Aunt to say, 'My daughter-in-law, Lady so-and-so-that was,' or the Earl of _somebody_, my son's father-in-law. Instead of which she will only have to recall the plain and _poor_ Miss Bennet, that was. Fancy Alfred coming to stay with us in our nutshell!" "I never thought Mr. Strickland gave himself airs," replied Amy. "Nor does he. But it is disagreeable to see a man sitting over the fire all day; or in summer time basking lazily in the sun." "But Julia will probably change all that laziness and inaction. She is full of life and work herself. I think _he_ has chosen well." "Of course _he_ has; but I consider Julia to have sacrificed herself. And now, do come down and see me off." Amy put down her work and went.