I made my best courtesy that mother had carefully taught me, and then was so embarrassed I could not lift my eyes from the ground.

When I spoke, my voice sounded so meek and shy and high up in the air that I scarcely recognised it as mine.
"'Mrs.Mayfair, please come to tea to-morrow,' I said.

Then I courtesied again, and hurried off, while Mrs.Mayfair was calling after me to tell my mother that it gave her great pleasure to accept her invitation.

But you see it wasn't mother's invitation.

I didn't say '_mother_ says please come to tea,' I just asked them to come of my own accord, in a fit of reckless daring, and then waited to see what would happen.