ame near the house, consigned Annie to Sarah, and
herself took Helen's hand, observing, gravely, that they must be very
good.

'One thing,' she half-whispered; 'I once had a hint from Miss Piper that
Mrs. Nesbit did not like Lady Martindale to be called grandmamma. What
do you think?'

'What nonsense! Mamma ought to be proud of her grandchildren, and my
aunt will probably never see them or hear them at all. She never comes
out of the room.'

'Indeed! Is she so much more infirm?'

'Yes, very much aged. Her mind has never been quite itself since the
last stroke, though I can hardly tell the difference, but I think it has
softened her.'

'I suppose Lady Martindale is very much with her!'

'Almost always. She seems to cling to our presence, and I am never quite
secure that Mrs. Garth does not domineer over her in our absence, but
with all my watching I cannot discover. My aunt says nothing against
her, but I sometimes fancy she is afraid of her.'

'Poor Mrs. Nesbit. She must be altered indeed!'

'She is altered, but I never am clear how far it is any real change,
or only weakness. One comfort is, that she seems rather to like Cousin
Hugh's coming to read to her twice a week. How he will delight in these
creatures of yours.'

'Ah! we know him,' said Violet. 'You know he comes to us if he is in
London. How pleasant it must be for you.'

'Ah, very unlike the days when poor Mr. Wingfield used to come to ask
me how to manage the parish,' said Theodora, between a laugh and a sigh.
'When did you hear from John?'

'His godson had a letter from him on his birthday.'

'O, Johnnie! that was an honour! Could you write and answer him?'

'Mamma helped me,' whispered the boy, while eyes and mouth lengthened
into a bright blushing smile.

'Steady, Helen, my child! Quiet!' exclaimed Violet, as the little girl's
delight grew beyond bounds at the sight of the peacock sunning himself
on the sphinx's head, and Johnnie was charmed with the flowers in the
parterre; and with 'look but not touch' cautions, the two were trusted
to walk together hand-in-hand through the gravelled paths.

'The spirits will break out in little skips!' said Theodora, watching
Helen. 'She preserves her right to be called a splendid specimen! What a
pair they are!'

'Poor Helen! I shall be in dread of an outbreak all the time we are
here,' said Violet; 'but she means to be good, and every one cannot be
like Johnnie.'

'Ah! Johnnie one speaks of with