The early situation was not reversed, for Lucina still admired and revered her aunt as the realization of her farthest ideal of ladyhood, but Miss Camilla fully reciprocated. The pride in her heart for her beautiful niece was stronger than any which she had ever felt for herself. She pictured Lucina instead of herself to her fancy; she seemed to almost see Lucina's face instead of her own in her looking-glass. When it came to giving Lucina a pleasure, she gave twofold. "Thank you, Aunt Camilla," said Lucina, delightedly, and yet with a little confusion. She felt very guilty--still, how could she tell her aunt all her reasons for wishing the party? "Shall we have your father and mother, or only young people, dear?" asked Miss Camilla. "Only young people, I think, aunt. Mother comes any time, and as for father, he would rather go fishing." "You would like the Edwards boy, since he came so long ago?" "Yes, I think so, aunt." "He is poor, and works hard, and has not been in fine company much, I presume, but that is nothing against him. He will enjoy it all the more, if he is not too shy. You do not think he is too shy to enjoy it, dear?" "I should never have known from his manners at my party that he had not been in fine company all his life. He is not like the other young men in Upham," protested Lucina, with a quick rise of spirit. "Well, I used to hear your grandfather say that there are those who can suit their steps to any gait," her aunt said. "I understand that he is a very good young man. We will have him and--" "I think his sister," said Lucina; "she is such a pretty girl--the prettiest girl in the village, and it will please her so to be asked." "The Edwards boy and his sister, and who else?" "No one else, I think, Aunt Camilla, except Lawrence Prescott. There will not be room for more in the arbor." Lucina did not blush when she said Lawrence Prescott, but her aunt did. She had often romanced about the two. "Well, dear," she said, "when shall we have the tea-party?" "Day after to-morrow, please, Aunt Camilla." "That will give 'Liza time to make cake," said Camilla. "I will send the invitations to-morrow, dear." "'Liza will be too busy cake-making to run on errands," said Lucina, though her heart smote her, for this was where the true gist of her duplicity came in; "write them now, Aunt Camilla, and give them to me. I will see that they are delivered." The afternoon of the next day Lucina, being out riding, passed Doctor Prescott's house, and called to Jake Noyes in the yard to take Miss Camilla's little gilt-edged, lavender-scented note of invitation. "Please give this to Mr. Lawrence," said she, prettily, and rode on. The other notes were in her pocket, but she had not delivered them when she returned home at sunset. "I am going to run over to Elmira Edwards and carry them," she told her mother after supper, and pleaded that she would like the air when Mrs. Merritt suggested that Hannah be sent.