The drawing-room was empty, and the box of pills lay untouched on the hall table.
She sighed a little over this latter circumstance, but reflecting that she could send Jane with them in the evening she went slowly up to her bedroom and busied herself putting on her afternoon gown, which was of a large check pattern, the coloring being different shades in terra-cotta.
Arrayed thus she came down to dinner, and then for the first time she was really startled by perceiving that Beatrice's place was empty.

Jane immediately explained her young mistress's absence.
"Miss Bee has a headache and is lying down, ma'am.

I'm to take her a cup of tea presently, but she doesn't want any dinner." "Dear, dear," ejaculated Mrs.Meadowsweet.
"And the peas are lovely and tender to-day, and so for that matter is the chicken.

What a pity! Jane, you tell Miss Bee that if she has a headache she had better take two of my pills immediately after she has had her tea.

You'll find them in the bottle on my dressing-table, Jane, and you had better take her up some raspberry jam to swallow them in." Jane promised obedience, and Mrs.Meadowsweet ate her green peas and tender, young chicken in great contentment.
In the course of the afternoon Beatrice came downstairs again.