ine to Susan, "and
say that I shall wait on her to-morrow."

So Sophia Jane's party to Pegwell Bay was over, and all that remained
was to repeat the wonderful news of Monsieur's fortune at Belmont
Cottage. It was received with enough excitement and interest to be
quite satisfactory, and to be sufficient reason for sitting up much
later than usual. There were many questions to answer from everyone,
and Nanna and Margaretta appeared to find the smallest details welcome.
"How did Monsieur look when he opened the letter? What did he say?
What did Mademoiselle say? How large was the fortune? What was the
cousin's name who left it to him?"

"They're an ancient family," said Sophia Jane, "and you must be sure to
call them _De_ La Roche now."

"I always thought," said Margaretta, "that there was something
gentlemanly about Monsieur. Odd, you know, but not common."

"Oh, certainly not common!" replied Nanna.

It seemed strange to Susan to hear that, for she remembered how they had
both thought it impossible to invite anyone to meet him at Pegwell Bay.

She was still occupied with wondering about this when the evening post
came in. There was a letter for Aunt Hannah, and when she had read it
she looked over her glasses at Susan.

"Dear me!" she said. "This is sudden news indeed. Your mother writes
from London, my dear, where she arrived yesterday."

"Am I to go home?" said Susan, getting up from her chair as though ready
to start at once.

"Nurse is to fetch you the day after to-morrow," said Aunt Hannah,
looking at the letter again. "Are you in such a great hurry to leave us
that you cannot wait till then?"

Susan had grown fond of Aunt Hannah, and did not wish to seem
ungrateful. She went and stood by her chair and said earnestly:

"I'm very sorry to go away. I am, indeed; but, of course, I want to see
Mother."

As she spoke she gave a glance at Sophia Jane. "Did she mind? Was she
sorry now that the time had come?"

If she were she gave no sign of it. Her face expressed neither
surprise, or interest, or sorrow, but was bent closely over some shells
she had brought from Pegwell Bay.

"We shall all miss our little Susan," continued Aunt Hannah, kissing her
affectionately.

"That we shall," said Nanna.

"Dear, good little thing!" said Margaretta.

Surely Sophia Jane would say something too. No. She went on arranging
her shells in small heaps, and took no manner of notice.

"And as for Sophi