nly existed.
She never spoke of the present time.

As for Vava, she avoided Eva's society rather than sought it. Stella
allowed her to be as much with Doreen as she liked, and she took
advantage of the permission not only to do her lessons with her, but to
invite her to learn knitting or hear tales of the Highlands from Mrs.
Morrison, when, if she liked, Eva was free to join them, and was
welcomed.

This seemed quite natural; but when Vava had spent two or three whole
Saturdays with Doreen, for she did not often go to the City on that day
now, Stella woke up to the fact that Eva was rather out of it. She and
Amy were great friends, and though they always invited Eva to come with
them on their outings, they knew that she felt it dull, for their
conversation was all of books which Eva had never read. So Stella took
Vava to task.

'How is it you never go out with Eva, Vava? She has two or three times
had to go for a walk by herself, because you were busy, so she said, and
then you go off a little later with Doreen!' she protested.

'Of course I go with Doreen; she is in my class, and we do everything
together, and I have more to say to her,' said Vava.

'But that is rather selfish; Eva is living in the same house with you,
and yet you take no notice of her except at meal-times, and the poor
girl is lonely,' expostulated Stella.

'She can go out with you and Amy. Amy was her friend before she came to
live with us, why shouldn't she be friends with her still?' argued Vava.

'I am afraid I have rather taken possession of Amy; but I thought as you
two were much of an age you would fraternise, and I find Amy's society
very congenial,' said Stella.

'And so do I find Doreen's society very congenial, and you can't be
friends with people just because it is convenient; but I don't mind
asking her to come with Doreen and me next Saturday,' replied Vava.

Fortunately Eva did not hear this condescending remark, and accepted the
invitation, and the three went botanising some miles out of town.

Stella elected to stay at home, as Amy had letters to write, and she was
sitting alone in their pretty sitting-room when a motor drove up to the
door, and looking out of the bow-window in which she was sitting she saw
Mrs. Montague Jones alight. As she had been seen, there was nothing for
it but to receive her visitor civilly when Mrs. Morrison ushered her in.
But before the old Scotchwoman did this, she stopped to have quite an
anim