After her nurse had gone Mrs. Maple brought Una a glass of milk and a slice of home-made cake. The little girl sipped the milk and tried to eat the cake, but she was in too much pain to do more than nibble a small bit, and Mrs. Maple, seeing the state of the case, did not press her to eat, but talked to her in her bright, cheerful fashion till Una smiled in spite of her suffering. Then, Nellie and Bessie returned from school, and were much concerned to find their little friend had met with an accident, and asked her scores of questions.
"Why, I've been up and down that ladder ever so many times," Nellie declared, "and I never fell off once! It's not in the least difficult to climb!"
"Ah, but Miss Una is not used to climbing, I expect," Mrs. Maple put in kindly.
"No," Una agreed with a rueful smile, "and I wish I had never tried!"
Nanny was as good as her word, and was not long absent. She returned in less than half an hour with her master. At the sight of her father all Una's fortitude gave way, so that when he sat down on the settle and lifted her upon his knee she laid her head upon his shoulder, and burst into a flood of tears.
He consoled her as best he could.
"Don't cry, my darling," he whispered, "you'll make yourself ill if you do, and though you have given your foot a nasty twist, I dare say you'll soon be running about as well as ever again."
Una tried to suppress her sobs, and Mr. Manners turned to Mrs. Maple with a smile.
"It was good of you to offer to keep my little girl here," he said courteously, "and I am most deeply grateful to you for your kindness; but I think I had better carry her home. She is not used to being away from me, for you see she is my only child, and we have never been parted."
"That I can understand, sir," Mrs. Maple replied. "I know she must be very dear to you."