e.

A message awaited her at the house that she would go to Isabel in her
sitting-room, and she went, half-eager, half-diffident. But as soon as
she was with her friend her doubts were all gone. For Isabel looked and
spoke so much as usual that it seemed impossible to believe that she was
indeed nearing the end of the journey.

She wanted to know all that Dinah had been doing, and they sat and
discussed the decorations of the Dower House till the luncheon-hour.

When luncheon was over they repaired to a sheltered corner of the
terrace, looking down over the garden to the river, while Scott went away
to write letters; and here they talked over the serious matter of the
trousseau with regard to which neither Dinah nor her mother had made any
very definite arrangements.

Perhaps Mrs. Bathurst had foreseen the possibility of Isabel desiring to
undertake this responsibility. Perhaps Isabel had already dropped a hint
of her intention. In any case it seemed the most natural thing in the
world that Isabel should be the one to assist and advise, and when Dinah
demurred a little on the score of cost she found herself gently but quite
effectually silenced. Sir Eustace's bride must have a suitable outfit,
Isabel told her. The question of ways and means was not one which need
trouble her.

So Dinah obediently put the matter from her, and entered into the
delightful discussion with keen zest. Isabel's ideas were so entrancing.
She knew exactly what she would need. Her taste also was so simple, and
so unerring. Dinah had never before pictured herself as possessing such
things as Isabel calmly proclaimed that she must have.

"We must go up to town to-morrow," Isabel said, "and get things started.
It will mean the whole day, I am afraid. Can you bear to be parted from
Eustace for so long?"

Dinah laughed merrily at the question. "Of course--of course! What fun it
will be! I always knew I should like to be married, but I never dreamt it
could be so exciting as this."

Isabel smiled at her with a touch of pity in her eyes. "Marriage isn't
only new clothes and wedding presents, Dinah," she said.

"No, no! I know!" Dinah spoke with swift compunction. "It is far more
than that. But I've never had such lovely things before. I can't help
feeling a little giddy about it. You do understand, don't you? I'm not
like that all through--really."

"My darling!" Isabel answered fondly. "Of course I know it. I sometimes
think that it would b