I scratched Auntie May's nose terribly for her as I came down, and it bled and had to be bathed. She was most kind about it. 'Never mind, darling, it won't matter. I am an ugly thing anyway, and I have _only_ got to be presented at Court to-morrow! Just a little unimportant occasion of that kind.' 'Can't you explain to the Queen,' said Rosamond, 'that your cat scratched you? I have always heard she is so very kind.' 'No, I shan't worry her with explanations,' said Auntie May; 'only soldiers' scratches are worth talking about. Let us go in.' Mother lectured me when she heard of my adventure. 'You should not have run,' she said, 'with that great heavy lead and all. If he had had the spirit of a flea he would have broken your back for you. You should not have shown it him; you should have stopped still and gone for his nose. That hurts, and he knows it. He would have run away from you the moment you raised your paw. Remember!' CHAPTER VI THE FIRST JOURNEY At the end of July Rosamond was taken home by somebody who was travelling up to Yorkshire. Her mother was not very well and wanted her. In fact, for the whole of August Auntie May was always worrying about Beatrice, Rosamond's mother, who was her twin-sister. She said she couldn't quite make out from Beatrice's letters what was the matter with her, or if it was serious or no, and though she paid several visits to big country houses in August she did not enjoy them. We were left to the care of Mary, who was becoming a very excellent cat's-maid, and so mother told Auntie May whenever she came home, and that, although she never could love Mary as much as she loved Auntie May, she had not wanted for anything during her absence. At last Beatrice's letters got so scanty and muddly that Auntie May said she must go and see her and find out for herself. So she telegraphed to Tom, her brother-in-law, that she was going down to Crook Hall on Thursday, whether they wanted her or not. The answer came back, and puzzled Auntie May very much: '_Do--want--you--bring--kitten._' '_Bring kitten?_ Why should I? Beatrice doesn't want to keep kittens because she has so many dogs. What can it mean? This is some game of Rosamond's, I'll be bound. I'll _not_ take a kitten.' But the more she thought over it, the more she felt that Tom wouldn't have put _Bring Kitten_ unless he wanted one. He is a man who doesn't talk any more than he need, and it was he who had sent the telegram off himself. Beatrice wanted the kitten for some reason or other, there was not a doubt of it, or Tom wanted Beatrice to have a kitten. She began to think she _would_ take a kitten. 'I will take the strongest,' she said. 'Petronilla, which do you consider your strongest kitten?'