Their governess very willingly complied with the request, and was relating the most thrilling episode of the tale, when she was interrupted by the entrance of Sarah, the children's maid.
"If you please, Miss Jameson," she said, "Mrs. Bartlett has sent to know if the young ladies and Master Harry can go there to-morrow after school to spend the rest of the day."
The Mrs. Bartlett, from whom this invitation came, was the children's grandmother, an elderly lady who resided at Twickenham. They were generally very pleased to spend a day at her house; but now there was a general clouding of faces at Sarah's words, and Kate exclaimed at once:—"Oh, Miss Jameson, must we go? I would so much rather stay at home and work at our dolls' clothes."
"And so would I! And I," echoed her sisters.
"That is out of the question," said Miss Jameson; "you must certainly go, since your Grandmamma wishes it. It is very kind of her to ask you."
"Your aunt, Mrs. Hobson, is staying there, and little Miss Edith," said Sarah.
"Oh, that makes it worse," exclaimed Florrie, with a groan, "I do hate going when Aunt Sophie is there. She is always finding fault with us, and Cousin Edith is as disagreeable as possible."
"Hush, hush, you must not speak so," said Miss Jameson; "it is not right."
"It is perfectly true," said Kate, calmly. "Even mamma says that Cousin Edith is spoilt. She pinched Winnie and made her cry the last time she was there."
"And then told a story, and said she had not done it," chimed in Gertie.