These words were spoken with so much kindness of tone that they quite comforted Rotha as to the immediate annoyance of being in the way. She went up to her little third-story room, threw open the blinds, to let the stars look in, and remembered that neither she nor yet her aunt Busby was the guide of her fortunes. Yet, yet,--what a hard change this was! All the pursuits in which she had taken such delight, suddenly stopped; her peaceful home lost; her best friend separated from her. It was difficult to realize the fact that God knew and had allowed it. Yet no harm, no real harm, comes to his children, unless they bring it upon themselves; so this change could not mean harm. How could it mean good? Sense saw not, reason could not divine; but faith said "yes"; and in the quietness of that confidence Rotha went to sleep. At breakfast the ladies' faces had regained their wonted brightness. "I have settled it all!" Mrs. Busby announced, when her husband had left the breakfast table and the room. Rotha looked up and waited; Antoinette did not look up; therefore it may be presumed she knew what was coming. "I am going to send Rotha to the country while we are gone." "Where in the country?" asked the person most concerned. "To my place in the country--my place at Tanfield. _I_ have a place in the country."--Mrs. Busby spoke with a very alert and pleased air. "Tanfield--" Rotha repeated with slow recollection. "O I believe I know. I think I have heard of Tanfield." "Of course. It is the old place where I lived when I was a girl; and a lovely place it is." "And just think!" put in Antoinette. "Isn't it funny? I have never seen it." "Who is there?" Rotha asked. "O the old house is there, and the garden; and somebody who will make you very comfortable. I will take care that she makes you comfortable. I shall see about that." "Who is that? old Janet?" asked Antoinette. "No. Janet is not there?" "Who then, mamma?" "Persons whom I have put in charge." "Do I know them?" "You know very little about them--not enough to talk." "Mamma! As if one couldn't talk without knowing about things! Who is it, mamma? I want to know who will have the care of Rotha." "It is not necessary you should know at present. Rotha can tell you, when she has tried them." "I suppose I shall have the care of myself," said Rotha; to whom all this dialogue somehow sounded unpromising. To her remark no answer was made. "Mamma, what will Rotha do there, all by herself?" "She will have people all round her." "She don't know them. You mean the Tanfield people?" "Who else should live at Tanfield. I was one of the Tanfield people myself once." "What sort of people are they, mamma?" "Excellent people." "Country people!--" "Country people can be a very good sort. You need not sneer at them." "I remark that you have not been anxious to go back and see them, mamma."