“I knew I should find you,” she cried, kissing Anna, while Gerald held out a finger or two without rising.  “I thought you would not be gone primrosing.”

“A perspicacity that does you credit,” said Gerald, still behind his paper.

“Are the cousins gone?” asked Anna.

“Of course they are; Cousin Marilda, in a bonnet like a primrose bank, is to pick up Fernan somewhere, but I told her I was too true to my principles to let wild horses drag me there.”

“Let alone fat tame ones,” ejaculated Gerald.

“What did she say?” asked Anna.

“Oh, she opened her eyes, and said she never should ask any one to act against principles, but principles in her time were for Church and State.  Is Aunt Cherry in the vortex?”

“No, she is reading to Uncle Clem, or about the house somewhere.  I don’t think she would go now at least.”

“Uncle Grin’s memory would forbid,” muttered Gerald.  “He saw a good many things, though he was a regular old-fashioned Whig, an Edinburgh Review man.”

“You’ve got the ‘Censor’ there!  Oh, let me see it.  My respected cousins don’t think it good for little girls.  What are you going to do?”

“I believe the doctors want Uncle Clem to get a long leave of absence, and that we shall go to the seaside,” replied Anna.

“Oh! then you will come to us for the season!  We reckon on it.”

“No, indeed, Emmie, I don’t see how I can.  Those two are not in the least fit to go without some one.”

“But then mother is reckoning on our having a season together.  You lost the last.”

Gerald laughed a little and hummed—-

“If I were na to marry a rich sodger lad
My friends would be dismal, my minnie be mad.”

“Don’t be so disgusting, Gerald!  My friends have too much sense,” cried Anna.

“But it is true enough as regards ‘my minnie,’” said Emilia.

“Well, eight daughters are serious-—baronet’s daughters!” observed Gerald in his teasing voice.

“Tocherless lasses without even the long pedigree,” laughed Anna.  “Poor mother.”

“The pedigree is long enough to make her keep poor Vale Leston suitors at arm’s length,” mumbled Gerald; but the sisters did not hear him, for Emilia was exclaiming—-

“I mean to be a worker.  I shall make Marilda let me have hospital training, and either go out to Aunt Angela or have a hospital here.  Come and help me, Annie.”

“I have a hospital here,” laughed Anna.

“But, Nan dear, do come!  You know such lots of swells.  You would get one into real society if one is to have it; Lady Rotherwood, Lady Caergwent, besides all your delightful artist friends; and that would pacify mother, and make it so much pleasanter for me.  Oh, if you knew what the evenings are!”

“What an inducement!”

“It would not be so if Annie were there.  We should go out, and miss the horrid aldermanic kind of dinners; and at home, when we had played the two old dears to sleep, as I have to do every night, while they nod over their piquet or backgammon, we could have some fun together!  Now, Annie, you would like it.  You do care for good society, now don’t you?”