CHAPTER XIV.
LADY BETTY LEAVES HER MUFF This question was speedily answered.
The gate had scarcely closed behind my visitors when I heard a gay little laugh behind me, and Lady Betty tripped across the passage and took possession of the easy-chair in the friendliest way.
'Now we can have a chat and be cosy all by ourselves,' she said, with childish glee; and then she stopped and looked at me, and her rosy little mouth began to pout, and a sort of baby frown came to her forehead.
'You don't seem pleased to see me again.

Shall I go away?
Are you busy, or tired, or is there anything the matter ?' asked Lady Betty, in an extremely fractious voice.
'There is nothing the matter, and I am delighted to see you, and'-- with a sudden inspiration--'if you will be good enough to stay and have tea with me I will ask Mrs.Barton to send in one of her excellent tea-cakes.' This was evidently what Lady Betty wanted, for she nodded and took off her hat, and began to unbutton her long tan-coloured gloves in a cool, business-like way that amused me.

I ran across to the kitchen, and gave Mrs.Barton a _carte blanche_ for a sumptuous tea, and when I returned I found Lady Betty quite divested of her walking-apparel, and patting her dark fluffy hair to reduce it to some degree of smoothness.

She had a pretty little head, and it was covered by a mass of short curly hair that nothing would reduce to order.
'This is just what I like,' she said promptly.

'When Giles told us about you, and I made up my mind to call, I hoped you would ask me to stay.