Then, while she was waiting for an answer, she went into the school room, and said good-bye to all the children.
"But you are coming back, aunt Meg," said the youngest girl.
Margaret stooped down to kiss her, and, when the child saw and felt the tears, she asked no further questions.
"Lady Ball is in the drawing-room, Miss," a servant said at that moment, and there she went to fight her last battle!
"What's the meaning of this, Margaret?" said her aunt.
"Simply that I am going. I was to have gone on Monday, as you will remember."
"But it was understood that you were to stop."
For a moment or two Margaret said nothing.
"I hate these sudden changes," said Lady Ball; "they are hardly respectable. I don't think you should leave the house in this way, without having given notice to any one. What will the servants think of it?"
"They will probably think the truth, aunt. They probably thought that, when they saw that you did not speak to me yesterday morning. You can hardly imagine that I should stay in the house under such circumstances as that."