"Don't call me Miss Ennerdale, please don't," entreated the girl; "papa says we are as good as first cousins, for his father was your mamma's uncle, and his mother was her aunt. Do you not know, Mrs. Southcote? your grandpapa and mine were brothers, and they married two sisters--that is how it is--and we are as good as first cousins--and I think, you know, that we ought to call each other--at least, that you ought to call me by my own name." "Very well, we will make a bargain," said I; "do you know my name, Flora?" "Oh yes! very well--it is Hester," said Flora, with a blush and a little shyness. "I have no other cousins on papa's side--and I always liked so much to hear of you." "Why?" "Because--I can't tell, I am sure!" said Flora, laughing. "I always could see my other cousins, but never you--and so few people knew you; and do you know," she added quietly, lowering her tone, and drawing near to me, with that innocent pathos and mystery which young girls love, "I think my father, when he was young, was very fond of your mamma." "Strange! he, too! everybody must have loved her," I said to myself, wonderingly. "Yes, he says he never saw any one like her," said Flora, with her sweet girlish seriousness, and perfect sincerity. "Did no one ever say you were like me?" I asked. Her face flushed in a moment with a bright rosy color. "Oh, dear Mrs. Southcote! do you think so? I should be so proud." "I thought we were to call each other by our Christian names?" said I; "but you must wait for me till I get my bonnet." "Let me fetch it--is not that your room?" said Flora, following; "oh! who is that with such a kind face? Is that your maid, Mrs.--cousin?" "Come and you shall see her, Miss--cousin," said I, unable to arrest the happy and playful fascination of this girl; "she is my maid and my nurse, and my dearest friend, too, Flora--my very dearest friend--Alice, this is Miss Ennerdale, my cousin." Alice started to her feet very hurriedly, made a confused curtsey, and looked at the young girl. It was too much for the self-control of Alice. I believe she had become nervous and unsettled, like the rest of us; and now she turned suddenly away, her lips quivered, her eyes filled. Flora gazed at her shyly, and kept apart, knowing nothing of the cause of her emotion. "Is she very like, Alice?" said I, in an under tone. "Very like, dear! God bless her! it's like herself again. Miss Hester, is her name Helen?" asked Alice with a sob. "No." The glance of disappointment on Alice's face was only momentary. "It ought not to have been, either; I'm glad it is not, dear--ah, Miss Hester! if she had but been your sister!" "No, Alice, you would have loved her best; and I could not have borne that," said I, still in a whisper; "but she is to stay with me. I will not let her go away again, till she is weary of Cottiswoode."