Lily felt convinced that Clara was telling Miss Cleeve something about Vonnie.
"What's the matter with Vonnie? When can I go and see her?" she asked instantly on being readmitted.
"Dear me, what an imperious little person this is!" said Miss Cleeve very brightly indeed. "Gently, gently, Lily, if you please. If you do your lessons very nicely and are a good little girl, perhaps you'll go and see Vonnie later on. We shall see."
Miss Cleeve looked very wise and very decided, and Lily distrusted her violently.
"Why haven't I seen Mother this morning?"
"She's busy, dear."
"But Nurse is with Vonnie too. Is Vonnie so very, very ill?"
"Ha, ha!" said Miss Cleeve with a laugh that rang singularly untrue. "What a silly little girl to talk like that, now! Come and sit down, and you shall choose which lesson you'd like to begin with, for a treat."
Miss Cleeve's brightness and Miss Cleeve's treats inspired Lily with a sickening sense of fear.
She was kept in the schoolroom all the morning, and when she and Miss Cleeve went downstairs to luncheon, Miss Cleeve held her hand with unnecessary tightness all the way. But Lily was alert, and she saw the doctor's little carriage going away down the drive from the window of the hall, and she also saw her mother standing, with head uncovered at the front door, and her mother did not look at all as usual.