an waited for a reply, and the discussion of
Mrs. Law's note caused no little excitement in the parlour, of which the
servant, if he had been so minded, could have heard every word.

"My dear Joyce, what will you do? You have no suitable dress for such a
visit; and yet it is a pity to miss it. I really do not know what to
advise."

"I think I should like to go to the palace, Aunt Letitia," Joyce said.

"Like! yes; but are you prepared for such a visit?"

"Oh! yes; I have my best frock, the black bombazine, and my crape
bonnet. That need not hinder me."

"But, my dear, people in Mrs. Law's position wear evening gowns, with
low necks and short sleeves. _I_ have moved in these circles, and of
course----"

"We must not keep the servant waiting, Aunt Letitia; if you give me
leave, I should like to accept the invitation."

"Very well," said Miss Falconer; "there is my writing-case; take care
how you write; begin, 'Miss Joyce Falconer presents her respects.'"

"But Mrs. Law addresses me as, 'Dear Miss Falconer'; had I not better
begin, 'Dear Madam, or dear Mrs. Law'?"

"Oh! _not_ 'Dear Mrs. Law.' My dear child, how ignorant you are of
etiquette."

Joyce seated herself, and wrote a few words accepting the invitation
from Saturday to the Monday following, and took it herself to the
footman.

"You should have rung for Phoebe, really Joyce, my _dear_!" But it was
too late. Charlotte, who had been "composing" in the sitting-room
upstairs, had heard voices, and now came down just as Joyce had closed
the door on the footman from the palace.

"An invitation to _stay_ at the palace! Oh! Joyce, how fortunate you
are. Mrs. Law might have asked me!"

"She knows you live in the place, my love," said Miss Falconer.

Charlotte sighed. "If I did _not_ live here it would be all the same."

But Charlotte was really an amiable girl, and her devotion to Joyce was
sincere and true.

"Well," she said, "what will you wear, dear? Can I lend you any pretty
things? My amber beads--or--my filigree comb. Oh! I forgot! Of course,
you are still in deep black."

"It is very kind of you, Charlotte," Joyce said; "you always are kind;
but I don't want anything."

The whole of that day Joyce's visit to the palace engrossed the little
party in the Vicar's Close. Some cronies of Miss Falconer came in for a
gossip by the fireside, and were duly informed of the invitation, and
were duly congratulatory and a little jealous, although there was