’Thank you, my lady.  I’m afraid I cannot stop to-day.  I have a long round to go; I’ve stayed here too long as it is, I’m afraid.’

Long as his ride had been that day, he called on the Miss Brownings in the evening, to arrange about Molly’s accompanying them to the Towers.  They were tall handsome women, past their first youth, and inclined to be extremely complaisant to the widowed doctor.

’Eh dear!  Mr. Gibson, but we shall he delighted to have her with us.  You should never have thought of asking us such a thing,’ said Miss Browning the elder.

‘I’m sure I’m hardly sleeping at nights for thinking of it,’ said Miss Phoebe.  ’You know I’ve never been there before.  Sister has many a time; but somehow, though my name has been down on the visitors’ list these three years, the countess has never named me in her note; and you know I could not push myself into notice, and go to such a grand place without being asked; how could I?’

‘I told Phoebe last year,’ said her sister, ’that I was sure it was only inadvertence, as one may call it, on the part of the countess, and that her ladyship would be as hurt as any one when she didn’t see Phoebe among the school visitors; but Phoebe has got a delicate mind, you see Mr. Gibson, and for all I could say she wouldn’t go, but stopped here at home; and it spoilt all my pleasure all that day, I do assure you, to think of Phoebe’s face, as I saw it over the window-blinds, as I rode away; her eyes were full of tears, if you’ll believe me.’

‘I had a good cry alter you was gone, Sally,’ said Miss Phoebe; ’but for all that, I think I was right in stopping away from where I was not asked.  Don’t you, Mr. Gibson?’

‘Certainly,’ said he.  ’And you see you are going this year; and last year it rained.’

’Yes!  I remember!  I set myself to tidy my drawers, to string myself up, as it were; and I was so taken up with what I was about that I was quite startled when I heard the rain beating against the window-panes.  ‘Goodness me!’ said I to myself, ’whatever will become of sister’s white satin shoes, if she has to walk about on soppy grass after such rain as this?’ for, you see, I thought a deal about her having a pair of smart shoes; and this year she has gone and got me a white satin pair just as smart as hers, for a surprise.’

‘Molly will know she’s to put on her best clothes,’ said Miss Browning.  ’We could perhaps lend her a few beads, or artificials, if she wants them.’

‘Molly must go in a clean white frock,’ said Mr. Gibson, rather hastily; for he did not admire the Miss Brownings’ taste in dress, and was unwilling to have his child decked up according to their fancy; he esteemed his old servant Betty’s as the more correct, because the more simple.  Miss Browning had just a shade of annoyance in her tone as she drew herself up, and said, ‘Oh! very well.  It’s quite right, I’m sure.’  But Miss Phoebe said, ’Molly will look very nice in whatever she puts on, that’s certain.’