"Do tell us about it. What did you do?"
"My mother used to have me down-stairs in the drawing-room in the afternoon, and show me lovely pictures out of some books she had, and talk to me about them. I had no brothers and sisters, and I used to be allowed to dine with her and my father, and sometimes she sang to me. She had a beautiful voice, and she would play hymns for me to sing with her."
"Ah," said Jill, with a long-drawn breath and a wistful look in her eyes; "but then, you see, we haven't got a mother."
"But you have a nice kind sister," said Miss Webb, pity filling her heart for the children who had never realised a mother's love.
"Yes," said Jack; "Mona is very good, but she's always out, and she doesn't make Sunday nice to us."
"May we thing hymns in the drawing-room?" asked Bumps eagerly.
"Yes," said Miss Webb on the impulse of the moment, "you shall. Nurse has made you tidy, so come along, just as you are."
Down two flights of stairs they scampered, delighted at the prospect of leaving the nursery. They found Mona leaning back in an easy-chair by the fire. A butler was removing the tea, and Captain Willoughby was standing, hat in hand, saying good-bye. Mona's other Sunday visitors had taken their leave. She looked up astonished when she saw the children.
"Now, what are you doing, Miss Webb?" she said, laughing. "Bringing them in their right minds to express contrition for their Sabbath-breaking?"
"No," said Miss Webb quietly. "They are going to sing some hymns. I thought you would like to play for them."