"
"_We_ dressed her," said Mrs. Penfold decidedly, "from top to toe. Some
day I must show you the drawings of it--it's not like that at all. The
girls think I'm silly to talk of it--oh! they don't say it--they're very
good to me. But I can see they do. Only--they've so many things to be
proud of. Susy's so clever--she knows Greek and all that kind of thing.
And Lydia's drawing is so wonderful. Do you know she has made twenty
pounds out of her sketches this week!"
"Capital!" said Lady Tatham smiling.
"Ah, it means a great deal to us! You see"--Mrs. Penfold looked round
her--"when you're very rich, and have everything you want, you can't
understand--at least I don't think you can--how it feels to have twenty
pounds you don't expect. Lydia just danced about the room. And I'm to
have a new best dress--she insists on it. Well, you see"--the little pink
and white face of the speaker broke into smiles--"that's all so
_amusing_. It puts one in good spirits. It's just as though one were
rich, and made a thousand pounds. I daresay"--she looked, awestruck, at
the Burne-Jones sketch--"that's worth our whole income. But we're very
happy. We never fret. Lydia and Susy both help in the housework. And I
make their blouses."
"How clever of you! That's a Fra Angelico"--said Lady Tatham pointing,
and not knowing what to do with these confidences--"an Annunciation."
Mrs. Penfold thought it quite lovely. Lydia, when she was studying
in London, had copied one like it in the National Gallery.
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