The best plan that Queen Bee could devise, was, that, whilst Henrietta was engaged with the other preparations, she should walk to Sutton Leigh with Frederick, to despatch Alexander to Allonfield.  No sooner said than done, and off they set, but neither was this plan fated to meet with success, for just as they came in sight of Sutton Leigh, they were hailed by the loud hearty voice of Roger, and beheld him at the head of four brothers, marching off to pay his respects to his Aunt Carey, some three miles off.  Alex came to hold council at Queen Bee’s summons, but he could do nothing for her, for he had that morning been taken to task for not having made a visit to Mrs. Carey, since he came home, and especially ordered off to call upon her, before meeting her at the party that evening.

“How abominably provoking!” cried Beatrice; “just as if it signified.  If I had but a fairy!”

“Carey!” called Alex, “here!  Bee wants to send over to Allonfield:  won’t you take Dumple and go?”

“Not I,” responded Carey; “I want to walk with Roger.  But there’s Dumple, let her go herself.”

“What, ride him?” asked Beatrice, “thank you, Carey.”

“Fred might drive you,” said Carey; “O no, poor fellow, I suppose he does not know how.”

Fred coloured with anger.  “I do,” said he; “I have often driven our own horses.”

“Ay,” said Beatrice, “with the coachman sitting by you, and Aunt Mary little guessing what you were doing.”

“I assure you, Queen,” said Fred, very earnestly, “I do really know how to drive, and if we may have the gig, and you will trust yourself with me, I will bring you home quite safe.”

“I know you can have the gig,” said Carey, “for papa offered it to Roger and Alex this morning; only we chose all to walk together.  To think of doubting whether to drive old Dumple!”

“I don’t question,” said Fred; “I only want to know if Busy Bee will go.  I won’t break your neck, I promise you.”

Beatrice was slightly mistrustful, and had some doubts about Aunt Mary, but poor Alex did much to decide her, though intending quite the reverse.

“I don’t advise you, Bee,” said he.

“O, as to that,” said she, pleased to see that he disliked the plan, “I have great faith in Dumple’s experience, and I can sit tight in a chay, as the boy said to grandpapa when he asked him if he could ride.  My chief doubt is about Aunt Mary.”

Fred’s successful disobedience in the matter of skating had decidedly made him less scrupulous about showing open disregard of his mother’s desires, and he answered in a certain superior patronizing manner, “O, you know I only give way sometimes, because she does make herself so intensely miserable about me; but as she will be spared all that now, by knowing nothing about it, I don’t think it need be considered.”

Beatrice recollected what her father had said, but eluded it the next moment, by replying to herself, that no commands had been given in this case.