Miss Merivale's Mistake

y up the long flight of stone steps leading to the flat. She had her violin

and sunny gardens, the thousand and one little comforts she had been too accustomed to to notice; but more, far, far more, she missed the protecting fond

ait two hours or so, and might have to stand after all, but to Rose that was part of the afternoon's enjoyment. She had quite agreed with Pauline that it would be foolish to go

ed to her fr

u, dearest? I want

Rose observed with a little shock that there were holes in the heels of her stockings. It was not quite such a shock as it would have been a fortnight ago. Rose had discovered that Paulin

this afternoon, will you?" asked Rose,

her, and Monsieur Verney had to go to Paris this morning. I am going there to lunch. How I wish you were goi

back. "I daresay Paderewski will play again before I go,

s nobody in London yet. But what do you mean about Paderewski playing again, Rosie? You

to a concert by myself," Rose answe

ur going this afternoon. Don't be a silly child. You'll sp

urned Rose. "I promis

Legend' at the Albert Hall on Thursday. We'll go to that. But I must be quick; I promised to be there early. Rosie, be my good angel, and clean

to be so untidy, and as she opened the box and took out the pot of polish she blushed to find herself thinking of Au

the kitchen, Pauline. Sh

s only gone to get me a hansom, dear. I shall spoil my dress if I go by omnibus, and it is too far to

hated herself for feeling so hurt and angry with her friend, and she was glad to lend her the money she

t home, dearest. I wouldn't have accepted Madame Verney's invitation if I had thought you would not go. But you see how it is, don't

e's heart. She saw that Pauline was delighted to go. She did not really care in the least about her disappointment. "H

ey spoke about my going back with her to tea. Shall you be very lonely? I

shed out, her colour rising. "I should be

erable if I leave you angry with me. Don't you know that I would f

h, which prevented her from respondi

have a nice afternoon. I will make some cakes, I think. I want to astonish Aunt Lu

month or two in London, you will find yourself growing up. But I must start. How do

uline look better. But she could not help hoping that she had changed he

ote the day before. Rose felt herself pitying the flowers for being taken from the woods and sent to wither in that stifling air. For it was stifling this afternoon. Ev

nging took hold of her to go home, if only for an hour or two. She looked at her watch and saw that it was not yet one o'clock. There was plenty of ti

, looking eagerly at the green fields and the budding trees. She no longer felt disapp

de, and as she looked along it she caught sight of an approaching carriage. It was a moment before she recognised the brown horses and the b

they must have seen her at the window. But they were too intent on their conversation. Rose heard Tom

hions, as she usually did. She was bending a little forward, with her face turned towards Rhoda. It was

got how the long drives her aunt loved used to bore her. She felt that Rhoda Sampson had no right to be

were gone to Guilford and would not be back till late. But on second thoughts she determined to go

ousekeeper, whom she found at the linen press upstairs,

earlier! You could ha' gone to Guilford with them. They've gone about the new greenhouse Mr.

been a favourite spot with Rose; in the deep-cushioned window-seat she had spent many a happy afternoon. The linen press was of old oak, almost as old as the house. And opposite it st

. How fresh it was, and roomy! And what a delicious scent of lavender came from th

th Miss Sampson is going to darn for me. She's the cleverest young la

ess getting into her voice when she mentioned Rhoda, though she was

. The mistress would ha' missed you bad enough if she hadn't had Miss Sampson to cheer her up.

ose. It was the sort of remark Pauline might

rent flowering trees they've got when she was in the kitchen on Tuesday. I'd promised to show her how to make those drop cakes you're so fond of, Mis

e little table by the window. The room that had been prepared for Rhoda was next to it. The door stood partly open, and Rose could not forbear taking one look. It was only one look. She hurried on, fe

are and skill the flowers on the table had been arranged. Wilmot hung round her at tea, pressing her to eat all sorts of dainties, and she could h

anger who in a few weeks' time would pass out of their lives again

ded. She found that her aunt and the others would no

ep flagged as she went up the stone stairs, and when she got to the flat and found that Pauline had not returned, a great flood o