Part 7 (1/2)
The breakfast was ready, and she was giving the last touches to her arrangement of flowers and fruit upon the table when Isabel joined her, looking as fresh as the flowers in the little shallol
”Oh, Laury, I a so late,” she cried, after an affectionate kiss had been exchanged ”I was afraid I was last”
”Oh no, dear; auntie is not down,” said Laura, glancing at the clock
”She'll be ten minutes yet”
”Is she always so punctual?”
”Yes She does not leave her rooins to strike She is very proud of being so exact”
”Is--is--”
”Fred down? No, dear There! don't blush, goosey I expect he was kept late last night, and he loses so much rest, that we never disturb him He has his breakfast at all sorts of ti”
This was accompanied by an arch look
”Oh, hoeet the flowers are!” cried Isabel, turning away to hide the heightened colour in her cheeks
”Yes, dear,” said Laura, banteringly, ”and life now is all roses and sweets, and the sky was never so blue, and the London sparrows'
'chiswick, chiswick' sounds like the song of nightingales, doesn't it?
Heigho! I wish I were in love, and someone lovedthe priht step behind her, two arms were passed about her waist, a soft, white chin rested upon her shoulder, and a rounded cheek was pressed to hers
”Don't teaseall you say, and looking very weak and stupid now”
”Tease you,round to embrace in turn ”No, of course I won't It's only my nasty envy, hatred and malice, because I can't be as happy as you There--and there--and there!”
Three kisses, and Isabel started away
”Fred's coy step Fred coed man”
”Laury!”
”Oh, well, he doesn't notice where he's going He's always thinking of operations and that sort of thing Good-, Isabel, , Laura”
”Aren't you well, dear? You look so serious”
”Yes, Laura, I look serious It's a sad world”
The girls exchanged glances, and withthe bell for breakfast, and then dropped into her seat with a weary sigh
”No letters, Laura?”
”No, aunt dear There's a lovely rose instead”