"I suppose they will send someone with the children to look after them," said Miss Gregson.
"No, that will be the fun. I mean to do everything for them myself, bathing them and putting them to bed included. If you do a thing at all I believe in doing it thoroughly. It would quite spoil it if there was a worker sent down with them."
Miss Gregson's heart sank. She knew how it would end. Sheila would be tired of them before the first week was out.
"Where are you going to put them? Is there not a large empty room which you could fit up with beds?"
"Yes. But I mean to give them the very best of everything. The girls I shall put in the West room, which I have just had papered with the rose pattern. It looks out on the rose garden you remember, and the boys shall be in the East gallery. There are several beds in the attics which can be brought down for them. You see I have thought it all out, Angel dear."
Sheila was now pouring out the coffee, and Miss Gregson had gone to the sideboard. She was aghast at the girl's arrangements, but she gave herself time to think over what to say by asking—
"Eggs and bacon or fish, my dear?"
"Is there nothing else? Jane is getting lazy. She gives us the same dishes every day. I'll have fish I think." Then she added, "I don't think I have looked forward to anything so much in my life. I shall tell Peter. He will be astonished that I have thought of anything so nice and useful."
She rose from the table as she spoke to fetch the fish Miss Gregson was helping, and put her arm round her chaperon impulsively.
"How glad I am that you are not a prude like that horrid old woman that came when you left me to go to your mother. She would very much have disapproved of my plan and would have placed all kinds of damping difficulties in its way. But I know you'll be just as interested in those children as I am, and won't mind a little noise in the house. I mean to give them such a good time. I'm desperately hungry," she added, as she took her seat at the table again. "It's the excitement."