Then Estelle, in all innocence, asked a shattering question.
"Is it true Sabina is going to have a baby? One or two girls in the mill told me she was, but I asked my father, and he seemed to be annoyed and said, of course not. But I hope it's true—it would be lovely for Sabina to have a baby to play with."
"So it would then," declared Sally Groves, "but I shouldn't tell nothing about it for the present, miss."
"Least said, soonest mended," said Mercy Gale.
"It's like this," explained Sally Groves with clumsy goodness: "they'll want to keep it for a surprise, miss, and I dare say they'd be terrible disappointed if they thought anybody knew anything about it yet."
Nancy Buckler laughed.
"I reckon they would," she said.
"So don't you name it, miss," continued Sally. "Don't you name the word yet awhile."
Estelle nodded.
"I won't then," she promised. "I know how sad it is, if you've got a great secret, to find other people know it before you want them to."