Then the Carringtons drove off in their beautiful motor-car, and father and I stepped into a brougham, a private one, very nicely appointed, my luggage--such very simple luggage--was placed on the roof, and we were away together. "Now I want Anastasia," I said. "We'll find her if we can," said father. "You'd like her to be your maid, wouldn't you, Heather?" "Oh, yes," I answered. "I did miss her so awfully." And I told father how I had run to the railway station to meet the next train on that terrible day long ago and how Aunt Penelope had followed me. He laughed, and said I was a rare plucky one, and then we drew up before a grand hotel and entered side by side. We were shown immediately into a private sitting-room, which had two bedrooms opening out of it, one for father and one for me. Father said: "Heather, I mean to show you life as it is, and to-night we are going to the theatre. We shall meet a friend of mine there--a very charming lady, who, I know, will be interested in you, and I want you to be interested in her too, as she is a great friend of mine." "But I only want you to be great friends with me," I said. Father laughed at this, got a little red, and turned the conversation. "What dress have you for the theatre?" he asked. "I don't think I have any," I said. "I don't possess any evening dress." "But that won't do," he replied. "What is the hour? We really haven't an instant to lose." He looked at the clock on the mantelpiece. "We can manage it," he said. He spoke down a tube, and presently was told that his carriage awaited him. "Come, Heather, come," he said. "You must be togged up properly for to-night." After my very quiet life at Hill View this complete change made me so excited that I scarcely knew how to contain myself. We got into the brougham and drove to a smart shop, where fortunately a pretty dress of soft black was able to be procured. This was paid for and put into a box, and we returned to the hotel, but not before father had bought me also some lilies of the valley to wear with the dress. I went up to our sitting-room alone, for he was busy talking to a lady who seemed to have the charge of a certain department downstairs, the result of which was that after tea a very fashionable hairdresser arrived, who arranged my thick dark hair in the latest and most becoming fashion, and who even helped me to get into my black dress. When I joined father my eyes were shining and my cheeks were bright with colour. "Oh, what fun this is!" I said. "Yes, isn't it?" he answered. "Where are your flowers?" I had put them on, but he did not like the way I had arranged them, so he settled them himself in a more becoming manner, and then he slipped a single string of pearls round my white throat and showed me--lying on a chair near by--a most lovely, dainty opera cloak, all made in pink and white, which suited me just perfectly.