The weather was now getting much warmer, the days were long and sunny, and the evenings light until late; so the girls began to make certain changes in their housekeeping arrangements. To begin with, the choral society which they had been attending on Wednesday evenings all the winter ceased in April, so they had late dinner every evening except Saturday and Sunday. There was some talk of their joining a tennis club; but both Jane and Ada were generally too tired to play after their day’s work, and, as the prudent Marion pointed out, if they joined a club it would mean that they would rush off to play directly they came home for as long as it was light, and get no solid food until past eight o’clock, when it would be too late to see about dinner. Jane thought that this would not matter in the very least, as it would soon be getting too hot for anyone to think of eating; but she was over-ruled by her two elders, who insisted that, as none of them got a solid meal in the middle of the day, it would be a fatal thing if the one big meal were postponed altogether. So she was obliged to give in and be content with what tennis she could get at friends’ houses on Saturday afternoons. This was not very much, and she had a good long walk to get it; but she thought it was better than nothing. Early in May came a short note from Mrs. Holden to Marion. “May 6th. “MY DEAR MARION,—Are you ever at liberty to receive visitors, or are you perpetually busy? Do let me know if I may come over and see you next Saturday afternoon. I want to have a talk with you, and I have to come up to West Hampstead to look over some houses in your neighbourhood. I have written to a house agent for some addresses. Our neighbourhood here is getting so terribly built over, and it is too low down to suit Arthur, who suffers occasionally from bronchitis, so we are thinking of making a move in your direction, as Hampstead stands high. I shall be so glad to be near you, and I hope you will return the compliment. “Do not think I intend to worry you to go house-hunting with me, for I should not dream of allowing such a thing. Arthur is too busy to come over with me; but my brother Tom is home on leave just now. I forget if you ever saw him—I think he was at school when you used to stay with us. It will do him good to have some sensible domestic occupation such as house-hunting. So I shall come and have a delightful cosy chat with you on Saturday if you will have me, and he shall look over the houses whilst we are discussing the affairs of the State. (By the way, why did some scones I made last week come out of the oven _freckled_? Don’t forget to tell me.) Whilst we are discussing the affairs of the State, Master Tom can look over the houses and select the most suitable for me to inspect when you are tired of hearing me chatter.