Mrs. Vane took no notice—­’And besides, at your age it is most important to be very regular.  So I have engaged a daily governess for you, my dear Biddy—­that means a governess who will come every morning for three hours, just to teach you.  But she won’t live in the house with us as Miss Millet does.’

‘Won’t she take us walks?’ demanded Biddy.

’Not every day, for some days she is engaged in the afternoons.  But twice a week she will come back in the afternoons and take you a walk and stay to have tea with you.  Her name is Miss Neale; she is very nice, though she is younger and—­less experienced than Miss Millet.  I hope you will be very good with her, Bride.’

Bride gave herself a little shake.

‘No, mamma,’ she said.  ’I don’t want to be naughty, but I can’t help it.  I’m sure I shall be very naughty with her.’

Mrs. Vane kept her patience.  She looked at Biddy quietly.

‘Why, Biddy?’ she asked.  ’You are old enough to understand that I have taken a good deal of trouble about this for you.’

’I needn’t have lessons till Miss Millet comes back; I’d be quite good without.  I don’t like having lessons quite alone without Alie or nobody,’ said Biddy.

’Would you like it better if you had some one to learn with you—­some one nearer your age than Alie, who would do the very same lessons?’ asked her mother.

Biddy’s eyes sparkled.

‘I should think I would,’ she said, ’but there isn’t nobody’—­then she gave a sort of gasp.  ’Oh, if only—­if Celestina could do lessons with me,’ she exclaimed.  ’She knows lots, mamma, all about up at the top of the world, where there isn’t really that stick I thought there was, but lots of snow and always light—­no, always dark, I forget which.  I’ll ask her—­the old lighthouse man told her.  I’m sure she’d help me with my jography, mamma, and she’d teach me to dress dolls and——­’ Biddy stopped, quite out of breath.

Mrs. Vane smiled; she looked very pleased.

‘I am very glad you have thought of it yourself, Biddy,’ she said, ’for it is the very thing I have planned.  Celestina is going to have lessons with you.  Her mother had already settled for Miss Neale to give her lessons, as they don’t care about Celestina going to school, so it would not have been fair for Miss Neale to give her up to come to us.  And besides, both papa and I thought it would make our little girl happier to have a companion—­eh, Biddy?’

Mrs. Vane had hardly time to finish her sentence before she felt her breath nearly taken away by a pair of fat little arms hugging her so tightly that she could scarcely free her head.

‘Mamma, mamma,’ cried Biddy, ’I love you, I do really love you now.  I never thought I did so much.  Oh, I am so glad.  Thank you, dear mamma.’

Never in her life had Biddy been so affectionate; never, at least, had she shown her affection so much.  Mrs. Vane kissed her warmly.