And we have four bedrooms," wrote Edna, "for Richard proposes
to run down for a night or two now and then, and mamma suggests
an invitation to you. Do you think you could come, Bessie--that
your mother could spare you? We are going on the third of
January, and want you to join us a few days afterward. Do try,
there's a dear! My cold has made me so weak and miserable, and
the cough will not let me sleep properly at night, so of course
my life is not very pleasant. It will be such a comfort to have
you, for I never can talk to mamma; she frets herself into a
fuss over everything, and that makes me, oh, so impatient, I
should like to jump into the sea! But you are such a patient,
reasonable little creature, Daisy dear, and I am so fond of you.
Bye the bye, Richard has sent you a message. He was very
particular in repeating it more than once. Let me see; oh, this
is it: 'Do you not think that you owe some duty to your friends,
especially when they need you?' That he was sure you could do me
good, and that he hoped you would make every effort to come, if
only for my sake. Was that not kind and brotherly of him? But
then Richard is very much improved, too."

Bessie hardly knew what she was to say in reply. Her mother was better,
certainly; but she could not propose to leave her. She was much
surprised when her father asked her that evening if no letter had
accompanied the hamper, and on her replying in the affirmative, he
coolly asked to see it.

"Well," he said interrogatively, as he handed back the letter, "what
answer do you propose to give, Bessie?"

"I do not know; at least, I have not thought about it," she answered.

Her father looked at her steadily.

"You have never been to Brighton?"

"Never, father."

"So much the better; it will be all new to you. Sit down and write to
Miss Edna at once, and tell her that you will be glad to spend a week or
two with her and her mother. Let me see, what time did she say? The
first week in January, that will fit in well. I am going up to town on
the seventh, and we can travel together. That will do famously, will it
not, mother?"

"Do you think you can spare me, mother?" asked Bessie anxiously.

And Mrs. Lambert answered without hesitation: "I certainly can and will
spare you, Bessie, and I am very grateful to Mrs. Sefton for her
invitation. My dear," as the girl still hesitated, "your father and I
h