‘Doesn’t Alexis look after you?’ said Gillian, not at all satisfied to be put off with this truism.

’Poor Alex!  He is younger, you know, and he has quite enough to do.  Oh, Miss Gillian, he is such a very dear, good boy.’

‘He has a most beautiful voice, Aunt Ada said.’

’Yes, poor fellow, though he almost wishes he had not.  Oh dear I there’s the little bell!  Good-bye, Miss Merrifield, I must run, or Mrs. Smithson will be gone to church, and I shall be locked in.’

So Gillian was left to the enigma why Alexis should regret the beauty of his own voice, and what Kalliope could mean by the scrapes of unprotected girls.  It did not occur to her that Miss White was her elder by six or seven years, and possibly might not rely on her judgment and discretion as much as she might have done on those of Alethea.

Meantime the concert was coming on.  It was not an amusement that Aunt Ada could attempt, but Miss Mohun took both her nieces, to the extreme pride and delight of Valetta, who had never been, as she said, ’to any evening thing but just stupid childish things, only trees and magic-lanterns’; and would not quite believe Gillian, who assured her in a sage tone that she would find this far less entertaining than either, judging by the manner in which she was wont to vituperate her music lesson.

’Oh! but that’s only scales, and everybody hates them!  And I do love a German band.’

‘Especially in the middle of lesson-time,’ said Gillian.

However, Fergus was to spend the evening with Clement Varley; and Kitty was to go with her mother and sister, the latter of whom was to be one of the performers; but it was decreed by the cruel authorities that the two bosom friends would have their tongues in better order if they were some chairs apart; and therefore, though the members of the two families at Beechcroft and the Tamarisks were consecutive, Valetta was quartered between her aunt and Gillian, with Mrs. Varley on the other side of Miss Mohun, and Major Dennis flanking Miss Merrifield.  When he had duly inquired after Sir Jasper, and heard of Lady Merrifield’s arrival, he had no more conversation for the young lady; and Valetta, having perceived by force of example that in this waiting-time it was not like being in church, poured out her observations and inquiries on her sister.

’What a funny room!  And oh! do look at the pictures!  Why has that man got on a blue apron?  Freemasons!  What are Freemasons?  Do they work in embroidered blue satin aprons because they are gentlemen?  I’ll tell Fergus that is what he ought to be; he is so fond of making things—–­only I am sure he would spoil his apron.  What’s that curtain for?  Will they sing up there?  Oh, there’s Emma Norton just come in!  That must be her father.  That’s Alice Gidding, she comes to our Sunday class, and do you know, she thought it was Joseph who was put into the den of lions.  Has not her mother got a funny head?’