"Is Sophy to be mistress, then?" said Fanny, blankly. "Aunt Kezia, are you going to be married?" our impertinent Hatty wanted to know. "No, Hester," said my Aunt Kezia, shortly. "At my time of life a woman has a little sense left; or if she have not, she is only fit for Bedlam. I do not think Sophy will be mistress, Fanny. Somebody else is going to take that place. Otherwise, I should have stayed in it." "What do you mean, Aunt Kezia?" said Fanny, speaking very slowly, and in a bewildered sort of way. Sophy said nothing. I think she knew. And all at once it seemed to come over me--as if somebody had shut me up inside a lump of ice--what it was that was going to happen. "I mean, my dear," my Aunt Kezia replied quietly, "that your father intends to marry again." Sophy's face and tongue gave no sign that she had heard anything which was news to her. Fanny cried, "Never, surely!" Hatty said, "How jolly!" and then in a whisper to me, "Won't I lead her a life!" I believe I said nothing. I felt shut up in that lump of ice. "But, Aunt Kezia, what is to become of us all? Are we to stay here, or go with you?" asked Fanny. "Your father desires me to tell you, my dears," said my Aunt Kezia, "that he wishes to leave you quite free to please yourselves. If you choose to remain here, he will be glad to have you; and if any of you like to come with me to Fir Vale, you will be welcome, and you know what to expect." "What are we to expect if we stop here?" asked Sophy, in a hard, dry voice. "That is more than I can say," was my Aunt Kezia's answer. "But who is it?" said Fanny, in the same bewildered way. "O Fanny, what a bat you are!" cried Hatty. "I wonder you ask," answered Sophy. "I have seen her fishing-rod for ever so long. Cecilia, of course." "Cecilia!" screamed Fanny. "I thought it was some middle-aged, respectable gentlewoman." Hatty burst out laughing. I never felt less inclined to laugh. My Aunt Kezia had taken off her spectacles, and was going on with her tucks as if nothing had happened. "Well, I will think about it," said Sophy. "I am not sure I shall stay." "_I_ shall stay," announced Hatty. "I expect it will be grand fun. She will fill the house with company--that will suit me; and I shall just look sharp after her and keep her in order." "Hatty!" cried Fanny, in a shocked tone. "I hope you will keep yourself in order," said my Aunt Kezia, drily. "Little Cary, you have not spoken yet. What do you want to do?" Her voice softened as I had never heard it do before when she spoke to me. It touched me very much; yet I think I should have said the same without it. "O Aunt Kezia, please let me go with you!" "Thank you, Cary," said my Aunt Kezia in the same tone. "The old woman is not to be left quite alone, then? But it will be dull, child, for a young thing like you." "I would rather have it dull than lively the wrong way about," said I; and Hatty broke out again.