“Mr. William has come, dear. He has just gone to his room to wash and change his clothes, and then he will come and take tea with us,” said Annie, as she re-entered her own room.
“Oh, has he? And did he ask about Lady?” eagerly demanded Owlet.
“Of course he did. Didn’t he promise that he would?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Well, then he did; you may be quite sure; and he will tell you all about it when he comes in. And now, what are you trying to do, little Goody Two Shoes?” demanded the seamstress, seeing that the child had taken a white cloth from the cupboard and was pushing it over the top of the table, which her chin just reached.
“I don’t know what you mean by Goody Two Shoes, but I am going to set the table for tea. I can do it as well as anybody. Now, don’t stop me. See!” she said, as she pushed the linen as far over the board as she could make it go, and then ran around and deftly pulled it straight and even.
“I see you can do it nicely. Go on, then, little Bopeep,” said Annie, with a smile of approval, as she began to cook the cutlets, furtively watching the child with some uneasiness for the safety of her crockery.
She soon saw that she had no reason to fear, for Owlet was so excessively and even ludicrously careful in handling cups and saucers, etc., that she finished her task without the slightest accident.
By the time the tea was ready Harcourt rapped at the door.
Owlet flew to open it before Annie could say “Come in.”