Not being able to grasp at once the truth of the matter, Hannah took the two cold hands in her own, and shook the lady slightly.
Lady Eliza toppled over, and would have fallen to the floor, but that Hannah caught her in her arms, and dragged her into the hall, where she dropped her on a large sofa.
“Delia!” she called, flying to the kitchen, “fetch some water. There’s a lady fainted!”
Dick and Dolly, unable to restrain themselves longer, came running in, and met Hannah, who returned, followed by Delia with a bowl of water.
“Hurry up, Hannah,” cried Dick. “She’s in an awful faint! Can’t you bring her to?”
Dolly was dancing around the prostrate form of the visitor, and Michael and Pat were peeping in at the front door.
“Ah, ye scallywags!” cried Delia, realising that some mischief was up. “What are ye up to, now? Who’s this leddy?”
So lifelike was the whole effect of the figure, that Delia could not at first take in the fraud. But when she did, she went off in peals of laughter, and Hannah joined in heartily.
“Aren’t ye the smart scamps, now!” cried Delia, proud of the latest exploit of the children. “An’ will ye look now, Hannah? That’s Miss Rachel’s best blue dress! I’m wonderin’ ye didn’t recognise it!”
“I never thought,” said Hannah, still gazing half-fearfully at the figure on the sofa. “I took it for granted it was a friendly visitor.”