"What, Angelica a grown up young lady in a long dress!" she exclaimed. "But where is Diavolo?" "We had a slight difference of opinion this morning," Angelica answered stiffly. "Dear me! that is a new thing!" Mrs. Beale commented. "No, it is not," Angelica contradicted, bridling visibly. "Only, when we were younger we used to--settle our differences--at once, and have done with them. But now that I am in long dresses Diavolo won't do that, so we have to sulk like married people." "But, my dear child, I don't see why you should quarrel at all," Mrs. Beale remonstrated. "You would if you were with us, I expect," Angelica answered, and then she turned her attention to Edith, but not by a sign did she betray, the slightest consciousness of the latter's disfigurement--unless making herself unusually agreeable was a symptom of commiseration; and in this she succeeded so thoroughly that when the others rose to go Edith did not feel inclined to part with her. "Won't you stay with me here a few days?" she entreated. Angelica reflected. "It would do him good, I should think," she said at last. "I should think it would!" Edith agreed, laughing. "Did I speak?" said Angelica. "Yes," Edith answered. "You informed me that you are going to stay here in order to punish Diavolo by depriving him of your society for a time." "I am sure I did not say all that!" Angelica exclaimed. "Well, not exactly, perhaps," Edith confessed; "but you led me to infer it." "Well, I will stay," Angelica decided. "Aunt Fulda, I'm going to stay here for a few days with Edith," she answered. "Very well, dear," her aunt meekly rejoined. "Are you going to stay now?" "Yes. Tell Elizabeth to bring me some wearing apparel." As they drove back to Morne, Lady Claudia scolded Lady Fulda for so weakly allowing Angelica to have her own way in everything. "I thought you would agree with me that the sweet womanly influence at the palace would do her good," Lady Fulda answered, in an injured tone. "'Sweet womanly' _nonsense_!" said Lady Claude. "She will twist them all round her little finger, and turn the whole place upside down before she leaves, or I am much mistaken." "Well, dear, If you would only make Angelica do what _you_ wish while you are here to influence her I should be thankful," Lady Fulda rejoined with gentle dignity. Lady Claudia said no more. Things went merrily at the palace for the rest of the day. Mrs. Orton Beg called, and Mr. Kilroy of Ilverthorpe, between whom and Angelica there was always an excellent understanding; and she entertained him now with observations and anecdotes which so amused Edith that, as Mrs. Beale said to the bishop afterward: "The dear, naughty child quite took her out of herself." Angelica had never been in the same house with a baby before, and she was all interest. Whatever defects of character the new women may eventually acquire, lack of maternal affection will not be one of them.