Clara had had hopes that the maiden lady with the appetite would rise to the occasion, but, alas! she had betaken herself to stay with a relative, Pixie was sure that Jack could not spare time to have her for a whole day, and besides, she was going to have tea with him the Saturday before. All the girls seemed fated to spend the holiday at school save only the two sisters, Mabel and Violet, who were to be entertained by a kind aunt, and to choose their own entertainment for the afternoon, and Lottie, who was fortunate as usual. "I am doubly engaged for the evening!" she announced with a flourish. "I wrote home to my people about the holiday, and mother asked some friends to have me for part of the day. They live in a regular mansion--as big as two or three houses like this rolled into one, and they know all sorts of grand people! I am going to dinner, and it's most exciting, for I don't know whom I may meet!" "The Prince and Princess of Wales are at Sandringham! What a pity!" sighed Kate, the sarcastic. "It's so awfully trying to come down to Lords and Ladies, don't you know! You will hardly trouble to put on your best dress, I should think. The pea-green satin with the pink flounces will be good enough for them!" The Margaret-girls laughed hysterically at this exhibition of wit, but Lottie's followers shot indignant glances across the room, and Pixie asked innocently--"Have you got a pea-green satin, Lottie? And pink flounces to it? You _will_ be fine! I have a little pink fan out of a cracker last year, when there was company at the Chase. I'll lend it to you if you like, and then you'll be all complete!" "Thank you, Pixie O'Shaughnessy; you are a kind little girl. I shan't want it this time, but I'll be sure to remind you when I do," replied Lottie, with unusual warmth of manner, for the child's sincerity had touched a soft spot in her vain heart, and she had an increasing desire to include her in the number of her admirers. Later on, when they were left alone together at the end of the schoolroom, she put her arm round the tiny waist, and said caressingly-- "Talking of party dresses, what are you going to wear yourself on Tuesday evening? You have to put on your best things, you know, just as if you were going out?" "_Will_ I?" Pixie looked surprised, but absolutely unperturbed. "But I haven't a rag to my back but the black you see every night! Bridgie said, `It's not likely you'll be visiting at Court until ye're education's finished, so this old grenadine will see you through until the ship comes home from its next voyage. It's gone a long way this time,' says she, `and between you and me, I expect the storms will swamp it, but I've taken the best pieces out of my old dress and Esmeralda's, and, barring the darn on the back seam, I defy ye to tell it from new!' So that's all I've got, as I told you before, and, party or no party, it will have to do."