"We were not talking about Eliza," said her mother, calmly. "When she goes into the Vicarage nursery, I dare say she will have to learn a good many things, and I only hope, if Nurse has this trouble with her, she will stay and repay her with the work she has to do."
"What wages is she to have when she is a proper nursemaid?" asked Fanny, eagerly.
"That is not mentioned in the letter," answered her mother. "I dare say Mrs. Parsons thought that it would be sufficient to let me know that she was willing to take her. They will pay enough to keep her neat and tidy, and that is all a girl should expect while she is learning the duties of her place."
"Oh, they are old-fashioned ideas! People don't think like that now; and I tell you, Mrs. Lloyd does not pay enough, and I dare say I shall tell her so very soon."
"I hope you will not do anything so foolish, Fanny. Your wages ought to be sufficient for all you want at present. It puzzles me what you can do with so much money," added Mrs. Brown, rising from her seat as she spoke. "Would your mistress like to speak to me," she added suddenly, as though the thought had just occurred to her.
"I know she is very busy and cannot spare the time," said Fanny, quickly. She did not ask her mother to sit and rest a little longer, and Mrs. Brown felt that, for some reason she could not understand, Fanny was glad to get rid of her. She noticed, too, that the girl opened the street door which was close to the kitchen, most carefully and cautiously; for the truth was Fanny did not want her mistress to see her mother, and had not let her know that she was in the house for fear she should say she would come down and speak to her.
Mrs. Brown went away feeling depressed and disappointed. She had been careful not to say a word that was harsh or fault-finding, and yet Fanny had shown so little pleasure at her visit that her mother felt sure she was glad to have her go, instead of pressing her to stay as long as she could; and the poor woman sighed as she thought of the change that had taken place in Fanny since she had left home.
She knew that she was always a little selfish, a little wilful; but with Jack and the others to be considered as well as herself, these faults were kept in check a good deal. But, in spite of this, it must have been that Fanny herself never really tried to overcome these faults, or there would not have been such a change in her as her mother now deplored. The thought of this made her grave and anxious as she walked homeward, for she felt helpless now to combat this, and yet she felt sure it would bring trouble to her child if she did not overcome it.
Then she was disappointed, too, that Fanny could not lend her a shilling or two for the week's provisions; there were some things she could not get on credit, and she hardly knew how she was to manage now that she had parted with all her ready money.
In her thoughts of this and Fanny's unkindness, she quite forgot that she had told Minnie and Selina that they might come and meet her when they came out of school, until she saw them running towards her, each trying to reach her first.