Abbeychurch

ich she had been engaged during the greater part of the morning. She had not been long established there, before her sister Katherine came in, and, taking her favourite station, leaning agai

n, 'because the twenty-eighth is St. Augustine's day;

ished; I heard Mamma and Mr. Somerville talking about it jus

g be ready in t

r dresses in time? We must go and hurry her to-morrow. And I must get Mamma to go to Baysmouth this week to get our ribb

he church-the cushions and the c

to the cushions, Mrs. Webbe may have Sarah to help her, and then they will ce

occasion for fun?' ask

e, 'but there will be a great many people, and the Mert

o not suppose he will be

Street, Mrs. Turner is going to give me a receipt for making blanc-manger with some cheap stuff which looks quite as well as isinglass. It is made on chemical principles, she says, for she heard it all explai

Consecration day depends upon the p

erine; 'but we must think about that to

t it is happy for us that we ar

,' said Katherine; 'I am

we need not dwell upon such

e grand dejeuner, I am sure I think a great deal more about the Ch

f Katherine and Helen, darted in, looking full of indignation, which she only wante

ver hear of such a nuisance? Anything so preposterous? Mrs. Hazleby a

ke, of course,' said Hele

for she has the grace to bring Lucy, on Mamma's special invitation. But only think of Mrs. Hazleby, scolding and snapping for ever; and Harriet, wit

said

, all that depends upon

do not see-'

enough, with your beloved Harriet. How frivolous and silly y

bouncing about as she does, and such dress I never did see. Last time she was here, she had a grea

I know you too well to trust you. I only know they will keep me in a perpetual state of

ma's relations in that w

are,' said Elizabeth; 'if people w

ions, whether they like them or not. There were some very stupid people, relations of Mr. Staunton's, near Dykela

zabeth, 'I would make a point of cutting them. I do n

'For instance, would you prevent Mamma fro

seeing since he chose to marry su

did such a thing?' said Katherine; 'I am

ive him fair warning, and I give you and Helen warning, th

d Helen, 'everybody was talkin

like Mr. Dillon's Sunday periwig, every minute since I have been here. And such a shadow! But do not stop to mend it. You will not do any good now, and here is some

ard velvet?' said Helen, who was a little mort

esk and eagle; Mrs. Webbe's hands are full of business already, but she h

Webbe was to he

, Helen, we do not want your help. Dora will sew the seams very nicely, and enjoy

shall be very glad to be useful,

ver mind,' said she, putting a skein of crimson sewing-silk over Katherine's outstretched hands, and stand

to luncheon here, and then to settle some business with Papa; then is to be the school-children's feast-in the quadrangle, of course. Oh, how delightful that will be! And Mamma and I have been settling that

the Alms-houses wi

wait on her little class. And they are to have tea and cake, instead of dinner, for we do not want to have more cooking than can be

ner-party, do not

ce will save us from being much

at least would dine with t

came to reckon, it appeared that there would be thirteen without us, and then Papa and I persuaded her, that it would be much less uncivil to leav

atherine; 'I thought the Bisho

o go to Marlowe Court,' said Elizabeth, 'and so there was room

oom?' said Katherine

rses and carry double,' said Elizabeth; 'Mrs. Hazleby

for the Mertons, and Horace'

ho laid the first stone, should not be

ake Dora into our room, and Winifred goes to the nursery,

counteract some of the horrors of the Hazlebys. I shall have the comfort of talking things over with the only person who knows what to f

found no great difficulty in gaining her consent to the plan; and she then sat down to w

s now becoming something more than girlish affection. Anne was an only daughter; and Elizabeth, though the eldest of a large family, had not hitherto found any of her sisters able to enter into her feelings as fully as her cou

f the new church, and indeed had added all the decorations which the Vicar's limited means, aided by a subscription, could not achieve; and his wife and daughter had taken nea

to this arrangement, or are you afraid th

ng,' said Lady Merton; 'I believe I may trust you; and it may be

enjoy it very much. But pray, Mamma, do not trust too much to our age and experience, for I do not know a

some self-control,

ent cautious self-control is wisdom's root," must be your m

,' said Lady Merton, 'for most probab

; 'there will be more need of it tha

ng when Rupert is at home, that you must take care that all

f a church for which Papa has done so much, and going with Lizzie, and meeting Rupert. Really,

Hazelbys,' s

vulgar-minded Scotchwoman, such as Lizzie describes Mrs. Hazleby, would take much delight in a Consecration; but

s,' said Lady Merton; 'a very little might make it appear th

id it will be very difficult to keep from shewing wh

what he saw of Major Hazleby

uch,' said Anne; 'it is the lady

, 'that Mrs. Woodbourne's horror o

said Anne, 'do you think she

, 'but you will allow me to say that she has a great dre

hing, 'to be able to scold and frighten su

said Lady Merton, 'or we shall be for

to be rather overbearing to Mrs. Woodbourne; but that was before she was old enough fully to fe

y without disputing

ought it a terrible accusation. 'Yes, I really thin

e fit to govern herself than most girls of sixteen. H

Mamma?' rep

likely to escape going wrong, without steady control

re certainly both naughty children, but I think the worst we did, was rathe

pright, noble-spirited c

and her beautiful smile is on her lips, and her whole face is full of brightness, and she looks slight and airy

t you mean,' said she; 'I used to feel

and presently added, 'Mamma, I do not know whether I ought to say so, but much as

cuse him, when you think of his three little girls, Elizabet

rs. Woodbourne could ma

nce has, I think, been of great service to her. Lizzie has certainly grown more gen

at Mrs. Woodbourne has done as

k your Aunt Katherine would have made

er have made her lik

een rather more than a mere good-

es are so much alike, that strangers never know them apart; the only difference between them, that I could

r is almost exactly her mother's, yet there is nothing about Kate

ke the others in ev

as far as regularity of feat

hink so?'

s prominent, and her colour has not that fixed hecti

aid Anne, 'and she so often looks dismal an

ympathy between you and Hele

lieve Rupert and I were very unkind to her in our younger days

,' said Lady Merton, 'poor little Helen suffered mor

said Anne, lookin

with her while she was cutting her large teeth, and during your aunt's illness, it was painful to see how the poor child missed her. And after her mother died, though Helen had gr

she was six years old, when Horace was born. How very ill-natured I must have been to her, and h

utely,' said Lady Merton; 'he taught Elizabeth admirably, and that was all that could be expected o

do not think he has any toleration for nonsense; but of course he must be diff

he same time that I thought it might have been better for the child to speak sharply to her, and punish her if she did not leave off whining dir

ll let me, which I do not think I deserve after my ill-usage of her. Last time I saw her, it was but for two days, and she was

o,' said Lady Merton; 'last time she was here, hi

ve outgrown whin

mise me that he has outgrow

whine, he will not teaze. But had I not better finish my lette

erton; 'and tell him not

Anne, as Lady Merton left the room, and she