Milk had been left at the house by Mrs. Winfield’s man, and ice also, and bread by the baker.
She intended to have for lunch to-day chicken salad, omelette and drop biscuit and coffee, all of which could, she knew, be prepared in three quarters of an hour, so she helped Marta dust and replace the utensils in their places, and made notes of what was lacking for her use, although, as economy was her object, she decided to do with as little addition to what was in the house as possible.
She called Marta’s attention as they replaced each article, telling her its English name, and bidding her remember its place and keep it there.
Marta spoke no English, but Molly spoke fair German, and she managed to make her understand. As the clock struck twelve, Molly took her into the dining-room to lay the luncheon cloth; she showed her how it must be done, that the fold must be just in the centre, the salt-cellars always neat and smooth, a soiled knife never put on, and as she went through these necessary instructions, the thought crossed her mind, how frivolous and useless these little niceties must seem to a girl to whom perhaps even a table-cloth had hitherto been an unknown luxury. What wonder that it was in these small things so difficult to train one?
When the table was ready, Molly ran into the little garden, and gathered a few red geranium flowers and their leaves, and arranged them in a glass for the centre of the table.
“This is one of the charms of the country; even in a tiny garden like this, one can always have a spray of flowers for the table,” thought Molly.
It was now a quarter past twelve, and one thing that Marta must be taught was punctuality. At one o’clock lunch was to be, and as Molly would prepare it to-day, it should not be a minute behind.
“Come, Marta, I want to show you how to make biscuit; but first we must look to the fire.”
Molly had made it herself before Marta arrived, and knew it was good and the oven hot, but she wanted to impress on her handmaiden the necessity of assuring herself that it was good, before beginning to cook.
“I set the damper this way, so that the oven would heat as soon as the fire is burning well, Marta. You see it is hot, and also,” taking off the stove lid, “that there is fire enough to last; always make sure of that, so that you will not find yourself with a poor fire in the middle of cooking.”