"That would be the time," said the lady. "It was about a month ago; and she left me the following week, so that you may be sure I was surprised to receive a letter from your husband this morning asking leave for her to come for a holiday to-day. I was coming to see Miss Martin this morning, for last night one of Fanny's friends called to tell me that she was ill, and had been taken to the fever hospital."
"My Fanny! Oh, ma'am, why didn't you send for me? I would have had her brought home and nursed her myself."
"Poor thing!" said Mrs. Lloyd under her breath, as she saw how greatly the poor woman was upset. "You must not fret," she said. "There is no doubt Fanny will be taken good care of; and very likely they would not have let her come home to be nursed, even if you had known she was ill, and could have sent for her. Certainly the hospital people could move her with more care and less danger to her than you could have had it done yourself," she added.
Mrs. Brown dried her eyes. "I suppose I can go and see my poor girl," she said, feeling that she must do something for Fanny.
"I should think you could," said Mrs. Lloyd, "although I know nothing about the rules of the hospital myself. I dare say Fanny's last mistress would be able to tell you all about it, though. For of course, when they took her away, the messengers would leave word when friends could see and hear about the sick person."
"Do you know where Fanny's new mistress lives?" asked Mrs. Brown.
"Yes. I have not seen her, for she did not trouble to come to me for Fanny's character, and from all I have heard, I should think she is rather a careless woman, but nothing worse, so that you may rest assured that Fanny was taken care of when she was ill. The address is Mrs. Lewis, 16, Mortimer Street—not far from where I live myself," added Mrs. Lloyd, now rising to leave.
Mrs. Brown thanked her for her kindness in calling to give her all the particulars concerning Fanny. When Mrs. Lloyd had gone, she said—
"You had better go back to school, Minnie, and I will go to the Vicarage and see Eliza, and ask if she can put off coming home until we hear more about Fanny. I may be able to see the Vicar, too; and I dare say he can tell me what I want to know about this fever hospital, and when I could go to see her."
Minnie received directions about her own and Selina's dinner, while her mother put on her bonnet; for, as she told Minnie, she did not know when she should get home again.