"Wait a minute, then, and I will put on my other bonnet and go with you," said her mother. "Cut yourself a piece of cake, I shall be ready by the time you have eaten it."
Fanny cut a slice of cake, and her mother was ready to start before she had finished it. When they had begun their walk, Mrs. Brown said—
"How was it you did not go to meet your father as he asked you, my girl? I never saw him so upset as he was when he came home that Sunday night. He says he could not have missed you if you had gone near the place within half an hour of the time he mentioned. It is not fair to treat your father like this," added Mrs. Brown, in a reproachful tone.
"There, mother, hold your tongue. I thought what it would be when you said you would walk with me. You always find something to grumble about. I had to go somewhere else before I could go to meet father. I am sure I have got as much to grumble at as he has, for I was waiting and looking about at that corner all church-time. I do think if father really wanted to see me, he might have waited a bit longer."
Mrs. Brown was angry at the manner in which Fanny spoke.
"He did more than just wait for you," she said, "he went on, and asked your mistress if you could not come out to church, and she said you had been gone nearly an hour. Then your father felt sure that you had gone another way on purpose to avoid him, and he came home at once, worried and upset, I can tell you. I said I would ask you to tell me all about it when you came home, and I hope you will, Fanny," added her mother, in a more persuasive tone.
"I don't know that there's anything to tell," said Fanny, suddenly. "I have made friends with another girl, who is a servant living close by, and I had promised to meet her before I got father's letter, and then I had to go another way to St. Mary's Road, and that was how I missed him, I expect."
Mrs. Brown breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, Fanny, why didn't you send him a line the next day, saying you were sorry you had missed him? Or why didn't you go to him first, and he would have gone with you to meet your friend, and you could have gone to church together?"
"Well, I might have done that, I suppose," remarked Fanny, "but I never thought of it. Tell him when you write, mother, that I am sorry, and that I was looking for him all the evening round by the church." Then she added, "Now, mother, I must walk on faster, or I shall be late; and Mrs. Lloyd wants to go out, I know."
So Mrs. Brown bade Fanny good-bye, somewhat relieved by the explanation the girl had given, and yet feeling vaguely uneasy about her, she knew not why.