She tore it open, and read the few lines that it contained, and then threw it on the table again.
"I might have known it was something like that!" she exclaimed in a tone of vexation. "Father says he is coming to meet me, to go to church to-morrow. Of course he will some about six, and how am I to be in three places at once?"
Fanny stood for a minute pondering the situation, and then went for the money for the cake, resolving to take what advantage she could of her father's letter.
She took it with her, and handed it to her mistress.
"You see, ma'am, father says he is coming to meet me, to go to church to-morrow evening. Shall I send and tell him not to come, as you are going to have company?"
"Oh dear, no! There is not time to do that, and I should not like to disappoint you both if there was. If my friend is here, punctually to her time, tea will be nearly over before you want to go out, and in any case I can manage it if you get everything ready before you go. If you leave here five minutes before the time, you will meet him at the corner of the road. I can leave the tea-things in the dining-room, for you to clear away when you come home."
"Thank you, ma'am," said Fanny; and she went off on her errand, glad to know that she would be able to go out in good time the next day, but wondering how she could avoid meeting her father on her way to Mrs. Scott's, for she had no intention of missing this appointment.
Almost at the same moment Miriam touched her on the shoulder.
"Just the girl I wanted to see!" she exclaimed. "I want you to come out a bit earlier to-morrow. Meet me at a quarter to six instead of six o'clock."
"I only wish I could," answered Fanny; "but the missus is going to have company to tea, and I may have a job to get away at six."