, and that is odd, as their mother married three times.
The Grants are the children of the second marriage, are they not?"

"Yes; but three times! Did she marry three times? Ah, I remember--how
shocking!"

"Shocking," exclaimed Mrs. Melcombe, "O, Laura, I consider it quite
irreligious of you to say that."

Laura laughed. "But only think," she observed, "what a number of names
one must remember in consequence of her three marriages. First, there is
Uncle Daniel's own daughter, Mrs. Henfrey; I do not mind her; but then
there is Mr. Brandon, the son of Aunt Mortimer's first husband; then
these Grants, the children of her second husband; and then Valentine,
uncle's son and hers by this third marriage. It's a fatigue only to
think of them all!"

CHAPTER VIII.

THEY MEET AN AUTHOR.

"People maybe taken in _once_, who imagine that an author is greater
in private life than other men. Uncommon parts require uncommon
opportunities for their exertion."

Dr. Johnson.

Mrs. Henfrey in taking leave of Amelia had expressed her pleasure at the
prospect of shortly seeing her again. They were all coming by invitation
to lunch, the next day, at her Uncle Augustus Mortimer's house, because
in the afternoon there was to be a horticultural show in the town. They
always went to these shows, she continued, and this one would have a
particular interest for them, as John Mortimer's gardener, who had once
been their gardener, was to carry off the first prize. "And if you ask
him what the prize is for," said one of the girls, "he will tell you it
is for 'airly 'tates.'"

Accordingly the next day there was a gathering of Mortimers and their
families. Augustus Mortimer was not present, he generally took his
luncheon at the bank; but his son John, to Peter's delight, appeared
with the twins, and constituting himself master of the ceremonies, took
the head of the table, and desired his cousin Valentine to take the
other end, and make himself useful.

Peter asked after his little love, Anastasia.

"Oh, she is very happy," said Gladys Mortimer; "she and Janie have got a
WASH."

"Got what?" asked Mrs. Henfrey.

"A wash, sister," said Valentine. "I passed through the garden, and saw
them with lots of tiny dolls' clothes that they had been washing in the
stream spread out to bleach on the grass."

"It's odd," observed Brandon, "that so wise as children are, they should
be fond of imitating us who are such fools."