"Y-e-s," Violet answered, rather doubtfully.
"I suppose we are going to see Malvina Medland, mother?" questioned Ann.
"Yes, my dear," was the response.
"Who is that?" Violet asked. "Malvina! What an uncommon name!"
"Isn't it?" said Ann, smiling. "Malvina is a poor, deformed girl, she has something amiss with her spine and she suffers terribly in her back sometimes, but she is the most cheerful body in the world, I should think. She lives with her mother and sister—Lottie, the sister is called—who both work in a factory. Malvina stays at home all day long and earns a living by doing plain sewing, and 'minding babies' as she calls it."
"Minding babies!" exclaimed Violet, opening her eyes very wide in her astonishment.
"Yes. She takes in the babies of women who are obliged to leave their homes by day, and looks after them—'minds them' as she would say. Why, there she is!"
Looking ahead Violet saw a girl apparently of about sixteen years of age, with a baby in her arms, standing in a doorway. At the first glance she noted the fact that the poor girl was deformed. Her face, though quite colourless, was very beautiful, with large, limpid, blue eyes, and regular features; it lit up with a bright, welcoming smile as she caught sight of the approaching trio.
"Well, Malvina, how are you to-day, my dear?" Mrs. Reed asked kindly.
"Better than usual, ma'am, thank you," was the response, spoken in a brisk tone. "I hope you and Miss Ann are well?"