"It is quite a short time," she said; "but I name three months because I know you would like a limit to the time you propose to spend with me. During that period, I hope you will consider yourself in every respect my guest. I don't offer you any salary, my dear, but I will give you what clothes are necessary, and you in return will write some letters for me and occasionally read aloud to me. I hope to make you quite happy. I would do more, far more than this for your mother's daughter." "But what about Florence?" said Brenda, her pretty eyes filling with tears. "Ah well," said Lady Marian; "I did intend to offer the same hospitality to Florence, and she is at liberty to come to me if she wishes; but I think it is only fair to her to let her return to Langdale; at least for the present. If you do want to come to me, Florence, you have only to send me a letter." "To come on a visit?" asked Florence. "Well, yes," said the old lady. "I do not want a companion. You see, I have my maid Pearson, who has been with me for many long years, and who understands all my requirements. But I will do far you what I do for your sister, and it is only a matter of three months. At the end of that time you must, of course, both of you find some means of earning your living." Florence rose proudly to her feet. "Very well," she said. "I do not think I will trouble you." There was a distressed look on her face, and Brenda never felt nearer crying in the whole course of her life. "Oh, Florence," she said, "I would give all the wide world to be going back with you to Langdale to-day!" Then she turned to Lady Marian. "I know well," she said, "that you mean to be kind, but you cannot possibly tell what this means to homeless girls who have never been parted before in the whole course of their lives." "I can quite understand what you are suffering, dear," said Lady Marian; "but we all have to go through pain; it is part of our great purgatory, but it draws out the good in us and develops qualities which without it might perish. Now I know you have plenty to say to each other, and Mr Timmins will come back for Florence in less than an hour. I will leave you here to talk to each other until he arrives." As Lady Marian spoke, she left the room. The moment they were alone, Florence flung herself into Brenda's arms and burst out crying. "I never felt so wretched in all my life!" she said. "I almost hate Michael! But for him I should be staying with you here; and yet how could I stay just on a visit with that old lady? It is all very well for her to say that she was a friend of our mother's, but she is no friend of ours." "She seems very kind, very kind indeed," said Brenda; "and I know she will be good to me. I will write to you every day, Florence." "Yes, do," said Florence. "But oh! I am a miserable girl!" She cried long and hard, and when at last Mr Timmins came to fetch her, her face was quite disfigured by her bitter sobbing.