There was nothing of all this. John was only pleased to lie lazily in bed the whole morning; and Betsy's thoughts were on the smoking hot dinner which had to be provided. Bess, the elder girl, presently appearing in a slovenly dress and curl-papers, busied herself with putting some finishing touches to the gaudy cheap costume which she meant to don later in the day; and the children played and quarrelled, and thought how they might best find amusement.
Lounging! Eating! Dressing! Amusing themselves! This was the Gardiner notion of how to keep Sunday.
The sweet Church bells might ring, ring, invitingly; but the Gardiners could not reply, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the House of the Lord." They were only glad of an opportunity for self-indulgence.
"Mother," Bess said in her rough careless tones, some minutes after coming into the kitchen, "what sort of people have come next door?"
"How should I know?" Mrs. Gardiner asked. "They've only been here three days."
"They look to me as stuck-up as possible," said Bess. "I don't believe we shall like them."
"Well, I only know I wish you were more like that Dunn girl," said Betsy Gardiner, with shortness. "She does treat her mother civilly; and that's more than you do."
Bess gave her head a scornful toss.
"You weren't home till I don't know when night. And I know who you were with, too. It's no good me interfering, for you won't stand it, and you'll choose your own friends, whatever anybody says. But I can tell you, Bess, if father hears you are taking up with those people, there'll be a row. I know it quite well."
Bess's freckled face, with its light-coloured fringe, wore a very unpleasant expression.