"I don’t think so," said Adelaide Maud. "At least I happened to enjoy the wrong part, that was all. I loved going out with the sunshine pouring into the carriage and everybody staring at us. It was very hot and the windows had to be down, and I heard things. One girl said ’Oh, lollipops, look at ’er ’air. Dyed that is.’ Another quite gratified me by ejaculating in an Irish voice, ’Oh, the darlint.’ ’You mustn’t,’ said her friend, ’she’ll ’ear you.’ ’I mean the horses, stupid,’ said the girl. She had her eye on the Life Guards. Mamma was disgusted. But in the palace it was not nearly so distinguished. Nobody admired one at all, just hustled one by. I think we were cross all the time." "I think it would be lovely to be cross in Buckingham Palace," sighed Jean. They all laughed. Adelaide Maud in particular seemed to be thinking about something which interested her. "Would it be fun for you to see some of the people who are going to the great ball," she asked. "I don’t mean to go to the ball, but Lady Emily is to be at home for the early part of that evening and some people are coming in on the way. I asked her if I might have you to dinner--and she’s quite pleased about it." Mabel and Jean sat in a blissful state of rapture. ("Lady Emily! The gorgeous and far-away Lady Emily!") "Oh," said Jean, "Elma would say, ’I should be terrified.’" "And I should say we’ll be perfectly delighted," said Mabel. It cost her no tremor at all to think of going. This reminded Adelaide Maud of Miss Grace’s prophecy that there was no sphere in life which Mabel could not enter becomingly. "Put on that pretty pink thing you wore in Ridgetown, lately," she said. The name of Ridgetown brought them closer to realities. This was Miss Dudgeon of The Oaks with whom they ate cream cake. Jean said, "I’m sure to give the wrong titles. You don’t mind I hope." "No," said Adelaide Maud. At the same time she was dying with the desire that they should do her infinite credit. Carefully she thought over the matter and then spoke. "In any case it’s so much a matter of one’s manner in doing it. I remember when Lady Emily was ill once, she had a very domineering nurse, who tossed her head one time and said to me, ’I suppose she wants me to be humble and "my lady" her, but not a bit of me.’ Then one of the most distinguished surgeons in England was called in, and his first words were, ’And how d’ye do, my lady.’ He called her ’my lady’ throughout, quite unusual you know, and yet in so dignified and kind a manner, as though he were saying, ’I know, but I prefer my own way in the matter.’" "What a drop to the nurse," said Mabel. Jean looked reflective. "Do you know, you’ve told me something I didn’t know," she said. "I never quite knew how one ought to address Lady Emily. It’s so different at Ridgetown," she exclaimed. Adelaide Maud seemed a little confused, but answered heartily.