And here is your own picture, at ten years old, over the
fireplace! I have such a vision, you will not know the room when I
have set it to rights.'
They went on talking eagerly of the improvements that might be made,
and from thence came to other subjects--Alethea herself, and the
future plans. At last William asked if Lily knew what made Jane look
as deplorable as she had done for the last two days, and Lily was
obliged to tell him, with the addition that Eleanor had begun to
inform her of the real fact, but that she had stopped her by
declaring that she had known it all from the first. Just as they had
mentioned her, Jane, attracted by the unusual sound of voices in Lady
Emily's room, came in, asking what they could be doing there. Lily
would scarcely have dared to reply, but William said in a grave,
matter-of-fact way, 'We are thinking of having this room newly fitted
up.'
'For Alethea Weston?' said Jane; 'how can you, Lily? I should have
thought, at least, it was no laughing matter.'
'I advise you to follow Lily's example and make the best of it,' said
William.
'I do, but it is another thing to stand laughing here. I see one
thing that I shall do--I shall take away your picture and hang it in
my room.
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