e Ward to sing, her own dearest
Matilda would not object on such an occasion to assist the sweet girl;
and Mrs. Rivers, after her usual prudent fashion, giving neither denial
nor assent, Mrs. Ledwich trotted off, and put Averil into an agony that
raised a needless storm in the Bankside house; Leonard declaring the
request an insult, and Henry insisting that Ave ought to have no
scruples in doing anything Mrs. Pugh thought proper to be done. And
finally, when Ave rushed with her despair to Mary May, it was to be
relieved at finding that Mrs. Rivers had never dreamt of exposing her
to such an ordeal.

Though it was the year 1860, the sun shone on the great day, and there
were exhilarating tokens of spring, singing birds, opening buds,
sparkling drops, and a general sense of festivity; as the gray and
green began to flit about the streets, and while Mr. Mayor repaired to
the Town Hall to administer the oaths to the corps, his unmartial sons
and his daughters started for the Grange to assist Flora in the
reception of her guests.

The Lord Lieutenant's wife and daughters, as well as the Ernescliffes,
had slept there, and Ethel found them all with Flora in the great hall,
which looked like a winter garden, interspersed with tables covered
with plate and glass, where eating and drinking might go on all day
long. But Ethel's heart sank within her at the sight of Flora's
haggard face and sunken eyes. 'What is the matter?' she asked Blanche,
an image of contented beauty.

'Matter? Oh, they have been stupid in marking the ground, and Hector
is gone to see about it. That's all. He is not at all tired.'

'I never supposed he was,' said Ethel, 'but what makes Flora look so
ill?'

'Oh, that tiresome child has got another cold, and fretted half the
night. It is all their fault for giving way to her; and she has done
nothing but whine this whole morning because she is not well enough to
go out and see the practice! I am sure it is no misfortune that she is
not to come down and be looked at.'

Ethel crossed over to Flora, and asked whether she should go up and see
little Margaret.

'I should be so thankful,' said poor Flora; 'but don't excite her. She
is not at all well, and has had very little sleep.'

Ethel ran up-stairs, and found herself in the midst of a fight between
the governess and Margaret, who wanted to go to the draughty passage
window, which she fancied had a better view than that of her nursery.
Luckily,