But when Poppy went to Esther to tell her about her expedition, she met with a disappointment. Esther did not seem at all pleased at the attentions she had shown the invalids. She seemed, in fact, quite annoyed. "I was going myself," she said coldly, "by and by; but I sha'n't now, of course. I don't suppose Mademoiselle Leperier wants the whole Carroll family continually going to her house. It was not right for you, either, to go all that way alone; it was not safe." "I had Guard with me," said the crestfallen Poppy. "I didn't know you wouldn't like it, Essie. I thought you--you would be glad." Her lip would quiver a little as she spoke. "I--I only wanted to be kind to the poor lady because she was kind to you, and I--didn't mean to go inside, but she made me. Aren't you really going again, Esther? She expects you, she said so." "I can't go if all the rest of you keep going. Besides, Mademoiselle won't want me." "Oh yes, she will," cried Poppy, almost in tears. "She _does_ want you; and--and I won't go any more if you don't like me to. You can take the parsley for me. I wish now I hadn't promised to bring it; but they can't get any one to come, and--and--" and then a tear really forced its way out and fell; but at the sight of it Esther's better nature conquered her temper, and she took her little sister in her arms with real remorse. "No, darling, you shall go, and we will go together; but not always," she added presently. "I should like to go alone sometimes, Poppy, to have a quiet talk with Mademoiselle." CHAPTER XIV. To-morrow was Poppy's birthday, and all day long there had been mysterious whisperings and signs and nods, hasty dashes in and out of the house, invasions of Mrs. Vercoe's and Mrs. Bennett's shops, and great mysteriousness on the part of Ephraim, who had to make a special journey to Gorley. And all the time Poppy, with a little thrill of excitement at her heart, went about pretending to see and hear nothing, and half wishing her senses were not so acute. Miss Charlotte was very vexed with herself. She had made an engagement for the very afternoon of the great day, and could not get out of it. "I am _so_ vexed I did not remember, dears," she said; "but it was so long ago I was asked, and I had to accept or refuse then and there, and I really did not realise what the date actually was. I should have liked, above all things, to have been home with you on that day." The children were very sorry too; but seeing Cousin Charlotte so vexed they made light of their own disappointment. Anna was vexed too. To her the birthday tea was the great feature of the birthday, and she had, days before, with a great deal of trouble to keep it a secret from the children, made and baked a beautiful birthday cake, which now lay hidden away in a white cloth in a tin box in the copper in the wash-kitchen.