e of her own. We have had cake and wine to drink her
health. You promised to be our governess if we wanted another. We
want you. Mamma knows nothing about this. Please come before Mamma
can get another governess. Your loving Lucy, who writes this. Clara
and Blanche have tried to write too. But they are too young to do it.
They blot the paper.'

'Your eldest niece,' Agnes explained, as Henry looked at her in
amazement. 'The children used to call me aunt when I was staying with
their mother in Ireland, in the autumn. The three girls were my
inseparable companions--they are the most charming children I know. It
is quite true that I offered to be their governess, if they ever wanted
one, on the day when I left them to return to London. I was writing to
propose it to their mother, just before you came.'

'Not seriously!' Henry exclaimed.

Agnes placed her unfinished letter in his hand. Enough of it had been
written to show that she did seriously propose to enter the household
of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Westwick as governess to their children!
Henry's bewilderment was not to be expressed in words.

'They won't believe you are in earnest,' he said.

'Why not?' Agnes asked quietly.

'You are my brother Stephen's cousin; you are his wife's old friend.'

'All the more reason, Henry, for trusting me with the charge of their
children.'

'But you are their equal; you are not obliged to get your living by
teaching. There is something absurd in your entering their service as
a governess!'

'What is there absurd in it? The children love me; the mother loves
me; the father has shown me innumerable instances of his true
friendship and regard. I am the very woman for the place--and, as to
my education, I must have completely forgotten it indeed, if I am not
fit to teach three children the eldest of whom is only eleven years
old. You say I am their equal. Are there no other women who serve as
governesses, and who are the equals of the persons whom they serve?
Besides, I don't know that I am their equal. Have I not heard that
your brother Stephen was the next heir to the title? Will he not be
the new lord? Never mind answering me! We won't dispute whether I am
right or wrong in turning governess--we will wait the event. I am
weary of my lonely useless existence here, and eager to make my life
more happy and more useful, in the household of all others in which I
should like most to have a place. If you will look again, you will see