“That wouldn’t be very safe, would it? No, shelves for my books, and my low cupboard with the glass doors could be moved in for the china.” Aunt Lavvy had forgotten that they were arranging the room for Ursula. “A primrose silk shade for the light, I think, and a small round table for potpourri. I wonder if my little davenport would fit slantwise across that corner recess near the window?” “With a shade to match for the lamp, and a whole lot of mauve and yellow bowls and vases. Oh, there are such lots of flowers that would look too heavenly in here: violas and pansies and blue irises and primroses and larkspur and Michaelmas daisies--anything that isn’t pink or red. Daffodils, of course--and cowslips. And your miniatures hung over the fireplace.... Aunt Lavvy, if you said nothing to Mr. Fennimore tonight, but explained to them at the Bank tomorrow that after all you had found the pound note loose at the bottom of your bag, I’m sure they’d believe you.” “Will you be quite frank with me, my dear child?” With a sudden tender seriousness, Aunt Lavvy set aside the irrelevancy of rooms and a room. She had her data now! “You really called me in here to plead for poor Hal.” “I’m not pleading, Aunt Lavvy,” steadily. “It’s dreadful for me that you should all think me hard and unforgiving. Nina came to me last night----” “Yes, I know. I suppose she was rude, and blurted things out.” “She hurt me,” Aunt Lavvy confessed, with a little sigh. “And your mother, too. Ursula”--with a gesture of confidence--“you’re a wise girl, and we’ve always been friends, haven’t we? Do _you_ see how unfair they are? I love Hal--but what am I to do?” She threw out her hands, and her diamond rings twinkled as the firelight burnished them. Ursula comprehended that she _was_ to plead, and so give Aunt Lavvy an excuse for “coming off her perch”--to borrow a phrase from Bunny. She accepted the cue for a sedate, sensible little sister, rather old-fashioned, a bit of a prig, perhaps.... Her hidden demon was doubled up with laughter! “Wouldn’t you say that Hal had been punished enough, Aunt Lavvy darling?” After about ten minutes of parleying along these lines, Aunt Lavvy conceded that Hal’s moral chastisement had indeed been severe. Quite suddenly she gave way, admitting, with the impulsiveness of a contemporary, that she had longed to do so all along.... Her glance strayed to the niche beside the window, still not quite satisfied that it was wide enough for her davenport to stand there. “And I’ll move for good into Nina’s room,” said Ursula, speaking aloud the last line of their contract. [XIII]