However, there was great delight at that dinner-table. Jasper had ridden to get the letters of the second post, and Lord Rotherwood had his hands and his head full of them when he came in to luncheon--there being what Lady Merrifield called a respectable dinner in view. In the first place. Lord Ivinghoe was getting on very well, and was up, sitting by the fire, playing patience. Nobody was catching the measles, and quarantine would be over on the 9th of January. Secondly, ‘Fly, shall you be very broken-hearted if I tell you.’ ‘Oh, daddy, you wouldn’t look like that if it was anything very bad! Lion isn’t dead?’ ‘No; but I grieve to say your unnatural grand-parents don’t want you! Grandmamma is nervous about having you without mamma. What did we do last time we were there, Fly?’ ‘Don’t you remember, daddy? they said there was nothing for me to ride to the meet, and you and Griffin put the side-saddle on Crazy Kate, and we went out with the hounds, and I’ve got the brush up in my room!’ ‘I don’t wonder grandmamma is nervous,’ observed Lady Merrifield. ‘Will you be nervous, Lily,’ said Lord Rotherwood, ‘if this same flyaway mortal is left on your hands till the 9th?’ Dinner, manners, silence before company, and all, could not repress a general scream of ecstacy, which called forth the reply. ‘I should think you and her mother were the people to be nervous. ‘Oh! my lady has been duly instructed in Merrifield perfections, and esteems you a model mother.’ The children’s nods and smiles said ‘Hear, hear!’ ‘Well, you’ve got it all in her own letter,’ continued Lord Rotherwood. ‘You see, they’ve got a caucus at High Court, and a dinner, and I must go up there on Monday; but if you’ll keep this dangerous Fly--’ ‘I can answer for the pleasure it will give,’ ‘Well then, I’ll come back for her by the 9th, and you’ve Victoria’s letter, haven’t you?’ ‘Yes, it is very kind of her.’ ‘Then I shall expect you to be ready to start with me for the Butterfly’s Ball. Eh, young ladies, what will you come out as?’ ‘Oh daddy, daddy, is it? Has mamma asked them? Oh! it is more delicious than anything ever was. Mysie, Mysie, what will you be?’ ‘The sly little dormouse crept out of his hole,’ quoted Mysie, in a very low, happy voice.