“Always wrong? Of course you are, when you will come meddling with what don’t concern you. Now then,” he cried, turning sharply round to me, “what are you staring at? Get a cloth and rub down that desk and table. Can’t you see how dusty they are?”
“Yes, sir,” I said, for it was very evident. “Then why don’t you go and do it, blockhead?”
I started to perform the task in great alarm; but I had no duster, and dared not ask him. Fortunately he was called away just then to his breakfast; but he seemed to me to be there still, gazing at me with his keen dark eyes, while his tightly closed thin lips seemed as if they were about to be drawn aside to bite.
As soon as I was alone I stole into the kitchen to ask for a duster.
“Don’t bother me; can’t you see I’m making toast?” was my greeting.
I could see she was making toast, and my attention was further called to it by the sharp ringing of a bell.
“Ah, ring away,” said the woman, going on with her task. “You may ring the bell down, and then I shan’t come till the toast’s done, do now then!”
“Please, Mary, is the—”
I turned upon hearing the pleasant little voice again, which stopped short as I looked round, and our eyes met once more.
“No, Miss Hetty, my dear, the toast ain’t done,” said the woman more softly; “and you may tell your ma that if she is in a hurry she must wait till her hurry’s over.”