Anna was at once fired with a desire to make herself a cool morning dress, and asked a dozen questions as to how, while Denah’s busy fingers undid the faulty crochet work, and her tongue explained the mistakes.  Mevrouw did not listen much to either, but noticing the glasses were empty, pressed the visitors in vain to have more lemonade.  They refused, and finding them quite obdurate she toddled into the little room where Julia had been doing the shrimps, to come back again, bearing a large bladder-covered bottle of peach-brandy.  The girls declined this very firmly, but Julia was sent for more glasses, and soon they were all sipping the rich flavoured liqueur without protestation.

It was over this that they planned an expedition to the wood.  No one knew quite who suggested it; when people all talk at once it is not easy to say who originates an idea; anyhow, it was agreed that the weather was so dry and the trees so lovely and Mevrouw so seldom went out.  She really felt—­did she not?—­that she would enjoy making a small excursion, she was so wonderfully well—­for her.  What did Anna think her mother would say?  Perhaps they might join together for a drive?

Anna thought her mother would be delighted; indeed, she often spoke of the charms of a country excursion; Denah was called upon to corroborate, and did so volubly.  Where should they go?  Half-a-dozen different places were suggested; why not go here, or there, or to the wood?  Yes, the wood, that would be lovely.  They could take their tea out; if they were well wrapped up, of course, protected from the damp and the wind, might it not be possible?

So by degrees the plan was brought to the first stage.  Denah and Anna were to talk it over with their mother, and if she thought favourably of it, then “we must see.”  By that time Denah had set the crochet work quite straight, and with kisses and hand-shakings the visitors departed.  Julia went back to the little room where first she washed the glasses that had been used, afterwards she finished the shrimps and washed them and put them ready for supper in a china dish like a large soap dish on three feet.  When that was done, it was necessary to lay the table for dinner and superintend the getting of that meal.

The Van Heigens dined at four.  It had taken Julia all the month she had been with them to in any way get used to that time.  Mijnheer and the only son, Joost, came in from the office for two hours then.  The office joined the house and the great dim orderly bulb barns joined the office, so the father and son had not far to come in whichever place they might be.  Julia and Mevrouw fetched the food from the kitchen and cleared the table, as well as getting their own meal; but that was nothing when you were used to it, any more than was the curious butter and nutmeg sauce that always seemed to play a part at dinner.