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.'I was only teasing her a bit.And he did stare at her 'a lot, and when she's with him she sort of lights up.'He looked round the table.'You all agree with me, I'm sure.'more so now.That left Cousin Elizabeth, quite young still, never in a job for more than a few months and boasting a host of unsuitable friends.Besides, she had only last week written to the Vicar and asked him to lend her five hundred pounds.This was an impossibility, for the heavy snow in March had damaged the roof and Noakes, the builder, had shaken his head over it and sent an estimate which precluded lending a farthing to anyone.So it was the general regretful opinion that, for the time being at least, Philly would have to stay at home.And then, the very next day, the unexpected happened.Mrs Selby had a letter from a friend with whom she had kept in touch since they had been at school together.After they married—she to the Vicar, Mary to a wealthy businessman—they had remained firm friends, exchanging news several times a year.Mrs Selby opened the letter at the breakfast table and read it slowly.When she had finished she said, 'Listen to this—a letter from Mary Lovell.' She waited until they were all looking at her.'Her daughter Susan—remember her—a bit younger than Philly?—well, Mary's husband has to go to America on business and Mary is going with him Susan was to have gone, too, but she has been very ill with shingles and the doctor won't allow her to go.Mary's mother is going to stay with Susan.while they are away but she asks if we could spare one of you to go and stay with her for company until they return—in a few weeks, she says.' She paused to re-read the page.'Susan isn't ill— indeed the doctor says that it will do her good to get out and about a bit.Her grandmother's too elderly.'Mrs Selby looked round the table and exchanged speaking glances with the Vicar and four of her daughters.Philly had bent to give Casper, the family Labrador, a crust of toast and missed it, but as she sat up she found everyone looking at her.She said, 'Let Lucy go.It's half term next weekend.'Not long enough—and she mustn't miss school with all those exams in another month.Philly, dear.? Just for a few weeks.you like Susan.'`What about the hens and the garden?'`I'll do the hens,' said Katie quickly.`And I'll keep the garden going,' said Lucy.`I haven't the right clothes.'`You can have my blue dress.We can make it shorter and take it in.I dare say Susan goes to the theatre and so on.'`I'm sure your father will give you some money, dear,' said Mrs Selby comfortably.'A nice jersey two-piece— they always look right at any time of day—and a light raincoat, perhaps.'Katie, anxious to atone for her ill-timed joke, offered the dressing gown she had had for her birthday, a vivid silky garment which dazzled the eyes.But she was almost the same size as Philly, and Philly, understanding why it was being offered, accepted it with gratitude.She didn't particularly want to go.She had visited Susan and her mother once or twice over the years, but although they had been kindness itself she had missed village life and the more or less peaceful day-to-day routine.Obviously there was no one else available.And she would be back before spring slipped into summer.`All right, I'll go,' said Philly.'You're sure it's only for a week or two?'`I'll ring and make sure about that.' Mrs Selby re-read the letter.'Mary says that they will fetch you in the car next Tuesday.Goodness, I had better phone her, and then we must go shopping.' She looked at the Vicar.'If we might have the car for an hour or two Philly can drive us to Shepton Mallett or Yeovil or Sherborne.'So Philly found herself on the following Tuesday, sitting beside Mr Lovell in his Jaguar car, listening to his rather loud voice explaining that he wasn't sure how long hewould be in the USA— 'But certainly not more than three weeks,' he told her, laughing heartily.'We can't leave Susan for longer than that time.Her grandmother won't be much company for her.' He added hastily, 'Of course she will have you.'Philly wasn't sure whether that was meant as a compliment or not.The Lovells had a large Victorian house in Fulham in a prosperous-looking street obviously lived in by people of substance.As Philly got out of the car she felt sure that a maid would answer the door, not a modern version in a pinny, but one wearing a uniform and a white apron.She was right.An elderly silent woman, in a black dress and a small white apron, opened the door to them, acknowledged Mr Lovell's greeting with a slight movement of the lips and gave Philly a quick appraising look.Philly smiled at her, which was a waste of time.London, thought Philly.Everyone's a stranger.Mrs Lovell welcomed her warmly, though, and Susan was glad to see her.Grandmother Lovell, sitting in a high-backed chair with her feet on a stool, offered a hand and observed in a dry old voice that she hoped that Philly would enjoy her stay.'I must depend upon you to keep Susan amused.'Which remark made Philly wish that she was back at home.It took her only a few days to discover that Susan's grandmother wanted nothing to do with Susan's activities— indeed they saw very little of her, since she breakfasted in bed and they were almost always out for lunch.Only in the evenings did they dine together, and then the old lady talked a great deal about herself and her youth and evinced no desire to know what they had been doing all day.Philly might miss village life, but there was a lot to be said for London's attractions.There were the shops; Susan, with plenty of money to spend, would spend the morningat Harrods, poring over the cosmetics counter or trying on clothes.'Mother and Father like me to look smart,' she explained complacently to Philly.She cast a not unkind look at Philly's knitted two-piece.'Of course you don't need to have a lot of clothes, do you? Don't you ever want to live here in London?'Philly said that no, she didn't, but added politely that she was enjoying her visit.'There's so much to see—the shops and the parks and seeing the Horse Guards riding.' She hesitated.'Do you ever visit any of the museums?'`Well, only if Mother and Father have been invited to something special at one of them.Did you want to go to one? I tell you what, there's an exhibition of Chinese porcelain—I can't remember where, but we can easily find out.I don't mind going—it's the fashionable thing to do.We might even get our photos in one of the society magazines.'`I'd like that,' said Philly.She didn't know anything about Chinese porcelain but she was willing to learn, although she didn't like the idea of having her photo in the papers.It was not very likely, she told herself.Hers was the kind of face that people passed over without even seeing it.Susan was as good as her word.She was not a clever girl, and was too lazy to do anything about it, but she was kind and she liked Philly and felt vaguely sorry for her since she lived buried in the country and had no fun.It puzzled Susan that she seemed content to dwindle into middle age without even the prospect of marrying.Susan, at twenty-three, thought of thirty as being the end of youth and beauty, and Philly was twenty-seven, although she didn't seem to mind in the least.It was a fine morning; it would have to be the knitted two-piece again.The saleswoman who had sold it to her had commented that it was a well-bred outfit, suitable for any occasion.Philly, looking around her once they were inthe museum, hoped that she was right.At least it was so unassuming that it passed unnoticed amongst the elegant outfits surrounding her.The porcelain was magnificent.Philly forgot about everything else and went slowly from one showcase to the next, reading all the little tickets and trying to appreciate what she read
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