"Brenda," she said, "if I had thought for a single moment that this sort of half engagement--for it scarcely amounts to that--which now exists between Michael Reid and myself would part me from you, I should never have consented to it. I don't want to go back to Langdale alone. I don't want to, I don't wish to, I won't go back without you. You must come back with me, Brenda, darling Brenda!" "No," said Brenda; "we must do what is right: we are not choosers any longer and you know, Florence, that we are in the position of girls who have to earn their own living, and if I can earn mine here, why, I must; and if you can bring yourself to get engaged to Michael Reid, why then, some employment will be found for you until he is well enough off to marry. I assure you, Mr Timmins seemed quite pleased when he heard of all that Michael had said to you." "I do like him myself!--the more I think of him, the more I like him," said Florence. "But all the same," she added, "it is odious going back to Langdale without you! and then when Mrs Fortescue finds out, it will be awful, awful!" "No: I don't think it will," said Brenda. "I am sure Mr Timmins will be exceedingly careful not to make anything awful for you, Florence. Ah! and here he comes." The door was opened, and Mr Timmins came in. He was accompanied by a beautiful old lady, whose hair was snowy white. She wore a white cap made of Brussels lace. She was dressed in soft grey and wore a white embroidered scarf round her shoulders. Any one more elegant and altogether lovely than this old person the girls had never seen. She was as far removed from the people at Langdale as light is from darkness. Each movement was aristocratic, and in addition to that, she had one of the kindest faces in the world. "How do you do, my dears?" she said, coming forward at once and taking a hand of each. "Now, let me guess to whom I am speaking. Yes, this must be Brenda. Brenda, you have such a look of your mother. I used to know her very, very well indeed a long time ago; and this, of course, is Florence; she has got her father's eyes. Well, come upstairs with me, dears, won't you? and let us have a chat together." The girls followed the old lady upstairs, but when they reached the drawing-room landing, they were astonished to find that Mr Timmins had not followed them. "Where is Mr Timmins?" asked Florence at once. "He will see you back to the railway station presently, Florence," was Lady Marian's reply. "He would rather we had a chat all alone for the time being." She took them both into a snug room, made them seat themselves, and then began to talk in an easy and pleasant way. When the girls had both got over their first shyness, she asked Brenda if she would come to her on a visit for three months.