he felt a distinct sense of gratitude
towards Nan when she thrust her head out of a bedroom window and
summoned Lilias to her assistance. When there is no sympathy in the
great principles of life, small talks become increasingly difficult, as
this poor fellow was discovering to his cost.

Punctually at one o'clock the door of Thurston House was thrown open,
and Mrs Rendell was discovered standing upon the threshold, issuing
final directions to her flock.

"Stop talking! My dear, good girls, if you insist upon speaking all
together, how am I to make myself heard? Pray calm yourselves, and
behave like reasonable beings. Don't let me have the humiliation of
taking about a crowd of excited children who might never before have
been outside their own gate!" Then she marched majestically ahead, with
the demure Elsie as her companion, while the engaged couple followed,
and each of the three remaining girls fell back in turns to cast a
critical glance at her companions. Half-way across the road Nan's belt
was discovered to have parted company with the skirt, and the most
strategic measures were necessary in order to secure it before her
mother reached the door of the Grange.

"And remember, all of you, not to put your arms round her waist! The
pin will stick out, whatever I do with it," said Christabel darkly; then
the door was thrown open, and the butler led the way across the hall
towards the entrance to the garden. Each member of the visiting party
was consumed with curiosity to examine the beautiful objects on either
side, but had too much ado to keep her footing on the slippery oak floor
to have any attention to spare. Lilias clung to Ned's arm, Mrs Rendell
and Elsie minced along with tiny footsteps, and Nan waited until no one
was looking, and then gave giant strides from one mat to another, or
clung to a friendly rail to help her round slippery corners. Then at
last the garden was reached, and there, beneath the trees, stood an
enchanted table, laden with everything that was beautiful in the way of
glass and china, and banked up with a wealth of pink roses.

Mr Vanburgh's couch was drawn up at its head, and Kitty Maitland sat at
his side, bearing herself with that preternatural solemnity of manner
which she invariably adopted along with her best dress and hat. A
moment later Mrs Maitland and Gervase appeared from behind a tree, and
the elders shook hands and murmured the meaningless speeches common to
such