She stood in front of Edmund with hot cheeks and anxious eyes. Then she suddenly stepped up to Mrs. Walton, and gave her one of her angelic smiles.
"Will you kiss your poor little boy? I are so sorry for him, he is so mis'able to-day."
Mrs. Walton began to smile.
"You are a first-rate little pleader," she said; "but I assure you I'm the most miserable person of you all to-day! Come here, Edmund! We've heard all about it; but you must ask your Aunt Helen to forgive you, not me."
And then Mrs. Harrington drew Edmund towards her and kissed him.
"You didn't mean it. I know that. I'm sure this will be a lesson to you never to play with fire again."
Edmund began to sob.
And then Dreamikins ran out of the room, and finding Daffy in the passage, seized hold of her, and danced down the length of the hall.
"I always cry myself when other peoples cry, and I aren't going to cry this afternoon. Oh, Daffy, do beg and pray your mother not to take you back to town. What shall I do if you go?"
It was not much good begging and praying. The very next day Mrs. Walton took Edmund away with her; and Mrs. Harrington said that Nurse must bring the children back to London in three days' time. They were going to stay in a private hotel till their mother could get her town house again. Freda and Daffy were very unhappy at going. It would be a long time before the Hall could be repaired and rebuilt, and Nurse said she would be glad to get away from it. The little girls went to say good-bye to their friend Mrs. Bone, and several other people in the village. The last day came; they gathered round Fibo's fire in his study for a good talk.