"Who see in mould the rose unfold, The soul through blood and tears." CHAPTER VII "I cannot get this skirt to hang as Lady Edith's did," said Sarah Fox-Wilton discontentedly. "Spend twenty guineas on it, my dear, as Lady Edith did on hers, and it'll be all right," said a mocking voice. Sarah frowned. She went on pinning and adjusting a serge skirt in the making, which hung on the dummy before her. "Oh, we all know what _you_ would like to spend on your dress, Hester!" she said angrily, but indistinctly, as her mouth was full of pins. "Because really nice frocks are not to be had any other way," said Hester coolly. "You pay for them--and you get them. But as for supposing you can copy Lady Edith's frocks for nothing, why, of course you can't, and you don't!" "If I had ever so much money," said Sarah severely, "I shouldn't think it _right_ to spend what Lady Edith does on her dress." "Oh, wouldn't you!" said Hester with a laugh and a yawn. "Just give _me_ the chance--that's all!" Then she turned her head--"Lulu!--you mustn't eat any more toffy!"--and she flung out a mischievous hand and captured a box that was lying on the table, before a girl, who was sitting near it with a book, could abstract from it another square of toffy. "Give it me!" said Lulu, springing up, and making for her assailant. Hester laughingly resisted, and they wrestled for the box a little, till Hester suddenly let it go. "Take it then--and good luck to you! I wouldn't spoil my teeth and my complexion as you do--not for tons of sweets. Hullo!"--the speaker sprang up--"the rain's over, and it's quite a decent evening. I shall go out for a run and take Roddy." "Then I shall have to come too," said Sarah, getting up from her knees, and pulling down her sleeves. "I don't want to at all, but mamma says you are not to go out alone." Hester flushed. "Do you think I can't escape you all--if I want to? Of course I can. What geese you are! None of you will ever prevent me from doing what I want to do. It really would save such a lot of time and trouble if you would get that into your heads." "Where do you mean to go?" said Sarah stolidly, without taking any notice of her remark. "Because if you'll go to the village, I can get some binding I want." "I have no intention whatever of going out for your convenience, thank you!" said Hester, laughing angrily. "I am going into the garden, and you can come or not as you please." She opened the French window as she spoke and stepped out. "Has mamma heard from that Paris woman yet?" asked Lulu, looking after Hester, who was now standing on the lawn playing with a terrier-puppy she had lately brought home as a gift from a neighbouring farmer--much to Lady Fox-Wilton's annoyance. Hester had an absurd way of making friends with the most unsuitable people, and they generally gave her things. "The Rector expected to hear to-day."