ffered when I
left it! Who is it that speaks of "the fiend homesickness?" The mere
dread of it would reconcile me to having them back again.'

'Then I am very thankful I told you,' said the girl. 'And father, is it
not nice to know that in spite of everything we girls have _not_ come
off badly? Bessie and Margaret took good places at once, and I did too,
you know. Indeed, Miss Scarlett said that if I had thought of being a
governess, she would have been very glad to have me.'

'I know,' said her father. 'Well, there is no necessity for that as yet,
except for governessing the younger ones as you used to do. And if
things go better with me, even if I'm only not worse, when we come home
again I can take you all three for Latin and German and mathematics.'

Camilla's eyes sparkled. She was so delighted to have talked him into
acquiescence and hopefulness.

'We shall work so hard the three months we are by ourselves that you
will be quite astonished,' she said. 'And old Mrs Newing will make us
very comfortable; it's there we're to live, you know. It will really be
great fun.'

So from this time the move to London was decided upon for Captain and
Mrs Harper.

And when Bessie and Margaret bade their companions good-bye at the
beginning of the Christmas holidays, they knew, though it had been
thought best to say little about it, and the good Misses Scarlett
refused to look upon it as anything but a temporary break, that it was
good-bye for much longer than was supposed--good-bye perhaps and not
improbably for always, to Ivy Lodge and Thetford and all their friends.

Bessie felt it sorely. Little Margaret was all absorbed in the delight
of going 'home' again. But both were at one in the real sorrow with
which they parted from their companions, among whom no one had won a
more lasting place in their affection than blunt, warm-hearted, honest
Frances Mildmay.

CHAPTER XI.

GREAT NEWS.

The first Christmas at a strange place or in a new home is always full
of mingled feelings. Even when the change has been a happy one, not
brought about by sorrows of any kind, the old associations give a sort
of melancholy to the thankfulness and joy we all wish to feel at this
time. And for the young Mildmays it was more than natural that the
sadness should predominate.

'Only a year ago _how_ different it was!' sighed Frances, the first
morning of the holidays, when there was no school to hurry off
to--nothing particular t