Oh, it was topping to get home. Nannie said I was most frightfully thin. She seemed quite worried about it, but the cook said consolingly,—
'Oh, we all ebbs and flows, especially gals. She only wants the crip o' the crame and an egg beat up in a drop of good milk.'
The next day I woke up with a spot on my chest, and Nannie said I was feverish, and daddy got in a panic and sent for Doctor Merriwater. His name is Tobias, but we always call him Toby. When he came he looked at my spot most earnestly and said,—
'Why, good gracious, the child has got the measles, the one and only measle, she's in a frightfully dangerous state. Don't let her get up for at least two days and I'll send you round a collar and a chain at once or I'm afraid her measle will be gone before the morning.'
When I was better I asked father if I could be presented, as I had left school, and Monica was going to be.
'No,' he said, 'I've had quite enough of London for you for the moment.'
'Oh, daddy, why not?'
Father turned autocratic then and said, 'Because I don't choose, darling.' So, of course, I couldn't say any more.
But after a minute he twinkled at me,—
'Sorry, little 'un, but a parson has to "rule his children!" It's one of Timothy's conditions.'