When the dinner-things were cleared away, Fanny agreed to go with her two younger sisters to the National School to see her former governess and tell her how she was getting on, for she had recommended Fanny for this place, and, of course, would be glad to hear she was giving satisfaction. The two younger girls were very proud to walk with their elder sister to school once more. Selina was eight and Minnie twelve, so that Fanny felt quite grown up beside these two, and took a hand of each as they went up the street together, and quite forgot the trouble of the morning for a little while. But before the school was reached, Selina said—
"Isn't it a pity poor 'Liza can't have new clothes to go to the seaside?"
"What do you know about it, Miss Inquisitive?" said Fanny, sharply.
"I heard mother and 'Liza talking about it when we came home from school. Don't you wish mother had money enough to buy some new frocks?"
"Why, of course I do, little stupid!" said Fanny, crossly, as though she thought Selina had spoken like this on purpose to vex and annoy her; and then that her mother must have told the children all about the watch.
"I dare say mother will manage somehow," said Minnie, after a pause.
But Selina shook her head. "Mother can't make new frocks out of nothing," she said.
But just then the school was reached, and other girls gathered round the sisters, and Fanny was soon telling her former schoolfellows what a nice comfortable place she had got, and how kind and considerate her mistress was to everybody. And then the school-bell suddenly stopped, and there was a general scamper among the girls to reach their classes in time to answer when their names were called, and Fanny was left standing near the door of the schoolroom until the governess had finished calling the names and was at liberty to speak to her.
Then she called Fanny to her table and shook hands with her, and said how glad she was to hear such a good account of her from her mistress.
Fanny opened her eyes in some surprise. "I did not know you knew Mrs. Lloyd," she said.