d, and belongs to the
elder branch of the family. He has left you each a most generous legacy,
so that there is plenty for your education. I don't know what
arrangements will be made for you, but Mr. Bowden is one of your
guardians, and he is such a kind friend that I am sure he can be
thoroughly trusted to take good care of your affairs. Try to look on the
bright side of things. Matters might be so much worse."

In Lilias's opinion, at any rate, matters were quite bad enough. As
Everard's particular chum, she took his disinheritance more hardly than
Dulcie. She wondered what he was doing in London, and if he would send
her his address. It angered her that Mr. Bowden took his departure quite
calmly, and seemed to think he would turn up again in a few days, when
he had spent the money he had taken with him. She knew her brother too
well for that, and was sure that his pride would not allow him to return
either to Cheverley or to Harrow in the character of a disappointed
heir. In that respect she could entirely sympathize with him. She and
Dulcie went back to Chilcombe Hall at the beginning of the next week,
and, though all their companions were very kind and sympathetic, it was
humiliating to be obliged to acknowledge that the Chase was no longer
virtually their home. For the present, as the heiress was a minor, the
estate was in the hands of the executors. Mr. Bowden decided to send
Bevis and Clifford to the same preparatory school as Roland, and Cousin
Clare, after various letters and telegrams, departed on a mission to
Sicily, to interview Leslie's mother and stepfather. What the purport of
her visit might be, the girls had as yet no hint.

The weeks dragged wearily on towards Easter. Though Dulcie might throw
herself into hockey or basket ball, to Lilias school interests seemed to
have lost their former zest. She wondered where they were to spend their
holidays. Various friends had extended invitations, but Mr. Bowden, to
whom everything must now be referred, had not yet written to consent. At
last came his reply.

"I have arranged for you and your sister to spend your holidays as usual
at the Chase. Miss Clare will be arriving back from Sicily, and will
bring your cousin Leslie with her. They would like you to be at home to
receive them."

Lilias, showing the letter to Dulcie in the privacy of the Blue bedroom,
simply raged.

"It's _too_ bad! When we were so keen to go to London, too! Why should
we be there to