"
They escorted her indoors to Lady MacGregor, and Stephen wondered if she
would be afraid of the elderly fairy with the face of a child and the
manner of an autocrat. But she was not in the least shy; and indeed
Stephen could hardly picture the girl as being self-conscious in any
circumstances. Lady MacGregor took her in with one look; white hat, red
hair, blue eyes, lily at belt, simple frock and all, and--somewhat to
Stephen's surprise, because she was to him a new type of old
lady--decided to be charmed with Miss Ray.
Victoria's naive admiration of the house and gardens delighted her host
and hostess. She could not be too much astonished at its wonders to
please them, and, both being thoroughbred, they liked her the better
for saying frankly that she was unused to beautiful houses. "You can't
think what this is like after school in Potterston and cheap
boarding-houses in New York and London," she said, laughing when the
others laughed.
Stephen was longing to see her in the lily-garden, which, to his mind,
might have been made for her; and after luncheon he asked Lady MacGregor
if he and Nevill might show it to Miss Ray.
The garden lay to the east, and as it was shadowed by the house in the
afternoon, it would not be too hot.
"Perhaps you won't mind taking her yourself," said the elderly fairy.
"Just for a few wee minutes I want Nevill. He is to tell me about
accepting or refusing some invitations.
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