“In thirty minutes? I should hope so!” said Ladybird, laughing.
Gathering up her dog, she stepped through the window and ran along the veranda roof to her own room.
Peeping in, she saw Martha staring in dismay at the empty bed.
“Hello, Martha,” she cried gaily, “did you think I was lost? I’ve been calling on my aunt; it’s such a lovely morning for visiting, you know. But I’m as hungry as a bear, and now I think I’ll get dressed and go to breakfast.”
She jumped into the room, and with Martha’s assistance her toilette was soon made; then she seized her dog and went dancing down-stairs.
After wandering through several of the large rooms she came to the dining-room, where the breakfast-table was laid; seeing nothing to eat, she went on to the kitchen.
Bridget looked at her with no kindly eye, for she resented any intrusion on the quiet of Primrose Hall as much as Miss Priscilla did.
But when Ladybird said wistfully, “I’m very hungry,” the good-hearted old cook fell a victim at once to the irresistible charm of the strange child.
“Are ye that, miss? And what would ye like now?”
“Oh, anything!—I don’t care what; and if I go and sit at the table will you bring me something?”