“The rent is one hundred guineas a year,” answered Miss Matilda. “Hum. I fancy that is rather more than Amelia thought of giving. Still, I don’t suppose a few guineas more or less would be allowed to stand in her way if the place suited her in other respects. I should like to go thoroughly over it, so as to be in a position to send her a full report. I presume there is no objection to my doing so.” “None whatever, Lady Pell. The keys shall be placed at your disposal whenever you please.” “There’s no time like the time present. I’ve nothing to do this afternoon and I’ll go at once. By-the-bye, is there anyone that knows the place who can go with me?” The sisters looked at each other in perplexity. On the spur of the moment they could not think of anyone. Why, oh why, had she not gone to the house agent and done her business through him! Lady Pell was looking from one to the other with an amused smile. She had heard a good deal from one of her friends about the twins and their little peculiarities. “Who is that very pretty girl I saw busy in the garden just now?” she asked. “That is our niece,” responded Miss Jane, speaking for the first time. “Then perhaps she will condescend to act as my cicerone.” The faces of the sisters lighted up. “You could not have a more efficient one,” responded Miss Matilda. “I have a weakness for young and pretty faces,” resumed Lady Pell, “due perhaps to the fact that it is so long since I was young myself and that at no time was I ever otherwise than plain-looking.” Ethel was at once summoned, introduced to Lady Pell, and told what was required of her. In a very short time the two were being driven in the brougham in the direction of Vale View, calling on their way at the house agent’s to obtain possession of the keys. When they got back to Rose Mount, afternoon tea had just been brought in, whereupon Miss Matilda begged of her ladyship to join them, which she frankly did. But long before this she and Ethel had become on excellent terms with each other, for, unlike the sisters, who had been rather overawed by their visitor’s authoritative manner and high-pitched voice, the girl had hardly been ten minutes in Lady Pell’s company before, as by a sort of instinct, she seemed to divine the existence of the really fine qualities out of which her character was built up. Lady Pell recognised this and was proportionally gratified, and from that moment she laid herself out to draw Ethel to her by a bond which should prove a source of interest and pleasure to both.