"What's that in dollars? About three, isn't it? Dad will fix that up easily. I'll write to him to-night. It's as good as settled."
"Diana," said Miss Todd emphatically, "I shall not allow you to write to your father and ask him for anything more. If you care to give up your pocket-money for the baby's sake that's another matter; but you're getting into a bad habit of expecting your father to pay for every whim that comes into your head. It's cheap charity to suggest something that's to cost you nothing. You want to have all the credit of the generosity at your father's expense."
Diana flushed up to her hair, and down over her neck.
"Do you think me a slacker?" she asked.
"Yes; in this respect I certainly do. If you were prepared to deny yourself anything it would be different, but you're not. You like to call the child your foundling, but personally you've done nothing for her. It's Miss Chadwick who's had the wakeful nights."
Diana did not urge in self-defence that she would willingly have taken the baby to bed with her if she had been allowed; she knew it was useless to offer arguments or excuses. She was busy thinking. Miss Todd's reproaches stung her like a whip. She would let the school see that she was not the pampered, spoilt darling that they imagined. On that score she was determined. Sacrifices! She was quite prepared to make sacrifices if they were necessary. Nobody should again have the chance of telling her that she did her generosity at other people's expense. An idea swept through her mind, and she set her teeth.
"Does it cost more than twelve and six a week to keep Lady?" she asked.
"Considerably more; though I don't suppose you've ever concerned yourself about the cost," returned Miss Todd sarcastically.
"Might I hand Lady over to the school for the rest of the term, then, and pay for the baby instead? I'd square it up with Father. He wouldn't mind about the riding when I explained."