An old label stuck to the backing board states that this drawing was a gift from the artist to their mother [Mrs Keene] and that she, the mother, had modelled for the artist on many occasions. One possibility is that the writer was Bessie Keene, a professional model who posed for many artists of the day, as did her mother before her. Graham Robertson, who knew her well, wrote of her in his reminiscences, Time Was (1931), 'Burne-Jones used Bessie's face much in his later work – she succeeded her mother as chief "angel" and "nymph" – and he produced one beautiful portrait of her; actually a portrait though he called the picture Vespertina Quies' (1893, Tate Britain). A devout Roman Catholic with a great sense of humour, Bessie later emigrated to America, dying in Los Angeles c.1944. Burne-Jones produced numerous sketches of this type towards the end of his life, which he sold to maintain a living as his larger works had somewhat fallen out of favour. These late drawings, which are often on coloured paper, tend to have general and rather whimsical themes, not specific subjects.
The Bessie Keene connection is plausible but tenuous as Bessie Keene and her mother Mrs Keene modeled for Burne-Jones and if the inscription had referred to Bessie Keene surely the writer would have mentioned both. Also Burne-Jones has not dedicated the drawing nor has he included an olive branch by the signature as was his usual practice when gifting works to friends.