After a few minutes Lovey went downstairs to see if Skeeter had come yet with the trunks, and to look over the girl Ricey if he had, in order to decide her sleeping accommodation. If she looked decent and agreeable, Lovey would ask her to stay with her, since she had the space, now that Pauline spent every night in Selma’s room. Skeeter had not arrived, so she told Buttercup to let her know the minute he did. Then she went back upstairs and into Selma’s room, the door of which Selma had closed on first hearing the commotion downstairs of the visitors arriving. Selma stood reading by the window, with Pauline seated nearby, sewing on her lap.

“Miss Penelope and Miss Sarah have come,” Lovey announced. “You must go and speak to them.”

Selma looked frightened for a moment; then her eyes cleared, and she closed and put down her book. “Yes, I must,” she said. “They were kind to me. They are good people.”

As Lovey and Pauline stared at each other with pleased surprise, Selma left them and went to the room she knew the guests would occupy. The door was open, so she walked right in. The four in the room stopped talking at sight of her. Selma went to Penelope and took her by the hand. “Welcome, Aunt Pea,” she said.

Penelope kissed the girl and hugged her briefly. “Thank you, my dear.”

When she was released, Selma turned to Sarah. “I am glad that you have come,” Selma said simply.

Knowing of Selma’s nervous condition and recent avoidance of society, Sarah was touched by her words and appearance, and had to exercise control not to show too much sympathy in her eyes. She took the girl’s hand and pressed it. “I am happy to see you again. I hope you will help me to make the acquaintance of Beulah Land.”

“Oh,” Selma said, “there will be plenty to help you do that.”

“I hope particularly for you to show me about, if you will be so kind, when you feel the strength and inclination.”

Selma said uncertainly, “There are perhaps one or two places the others might not think to show you, which I know, and which you might like.”

“I shall be grateful.”

“Will you excuse me now?”

They nodded to each other as if there was understanding between them, and Selma turned and went out of the room, her mother staring after her astonished, Nell smiling with something like triumph because the visit had been, after all, her idea.