Fanny hurried along the road when she left her mother, reflecting that she had escaped a good scolding, such as she had expected, for no word had been said about her leaving her situation, and her mother had heard nothing of the new one to which she was so soon going.
[CHAPTER XVI]
A NEW SITUATION
"ARE you the new servant? If you are, mother says you're to go down to the kitchen, and wash up the things. My sister is ill, and the doctor is coming presently."
The speaker was the elder boy of the group of children she had seen before, and this was Fanny's introduction to her new situation.
The boy who had helped her to carry her box set it down in the passage and went away; while a feeling of forlornness began to creep over Fanny as she followed the little boy down to the kitchen.
When they reached the door, she paused for a moment.
"Is this the kitchen?" she asked, almost aghast at the sight of the dirty, comfortless room, that seemed to be filled with dirty cups and plates from end to end. Even the single wooden chair, that stood near the table, was piled high, like the table and dresser, with dirty crockery, and a vision of Mrs. Lloyd's cosy little kitchen rose in contrast.
"What are you staring at?" asked the little boy. "Jane ran away the other morning, so there's been nobody to wash up the tea-things and dinner-things."
It occurred to Fanny that she had better follow the example of her predecessor, and run away too; but she knew now that her situation at Mrs. Lloyd's was filled, and the thought of ten pounds a year made her willing to put up with some discomfort.