"You are a very untidy little girl, I regret to say," Miss Pamela continued severely, "and I am grieved to see it. Go upstairs at once, and set your room in order. Next week you will be at school, if all's well, when you will have less time on your hands, and if you are so careless you will always be in trouble."
Marigold, who had been reading a story-book whilst she sat by the window in the drawing-room, rose quickly, and with cheeks red with shame ran hastily upstairs. Miss Pamela had not complained without sufficient cause, as Marigold acknowledged when she looked around her pretty bedroom, for her jacket and hat were flung carelessly on a chair; one boot was by the window, the other directly inside the door; and the writing-table was littered with note-paper and envelopes, some of the latter having fallen on the floor.
"Oh dear! oh dear!" sighed Marigold; "no wonder Aunt Pamela looked so dreadfully cross!" She recalled how often her mother had remonstrated with her about her careless, untidy ways. On this occasion she had refrained from putting her room in order before dinner, so that she might have more time to continue reading the story she was so greatly interested in, and afterwards she had gone back to her book, never dreaming that her Aunt Pamela would discover her neglect. She felt very guilty and uneasy, as she hastily set to work to put her garments in their proper places. Before she had quite completed her task, Miss Holcroft came in, her gentle face a little troubled.
"Oh, Marigold, my dear, you must really learn to be more careful," she said. "Pamela is so put out that you left your room in such a state of untidiness, after her impressing upon you how particular she is. Did not your mother teach you to be neat?"
"Oh yes, indeed, Aunt Mary! It is not mother's fault that I am so careless, really it is not! She used to be always telling me about it. You see, we had not much room to spare in our flat, and when I littered the place with my things it made such a muddle!"
"So I should imagine!"
"I wanted to finish the book I was reading," Marigold explained, "and I thought I should be able to put my room tidy by and by."
"That is procrastination. Never put off to a future time what you ought to do in the present."
"I did not think Aunt Pamela would come into my room."
"Ah! You mean you did not think your fault would be found out. You knew you were disobeying our wishes; but it never occurred to you, I suppose, to think that you were not acting quite straight in the matter. Always be true, my dear, and then we shall be able to trust you."