‘I see,’ said Mrs. Wilmington, and turned away, picking her galoshed steps delicately, and followed by Caroline, who now ventured to breathe again, and splashed in all the puddles.
‘Your uncle,’ said the housekeeper, taking off her shawl and shaking it at the back door, ‘was inquiring for you. He does not weesh you to go out in the reen.’
‘No,’ said Caroline.
‘And I always understood,’ said the housekeeper, ‘that young ladies was, were, better away from low company.’
‘If you mean William,’ began Caroline hotly, but Mrs. Wilmington interrupted her with—
‘I mean dogs in straw-lofts. Now you know.’
Caroline decided to get Mrs. Wilmington a soothing bouquet as soon as the rain cleared off.
‘Your uncle’s in the dining-room,’ said the housekeeper. ‘Wipe your shoes on the mat, please.’
From the dining-room came the sound of talking. Caroline heard:
‘You see, uncle, you just sit on the wreck and we’ll come and rescue you with the raft.’