Chapter Five.
The Officers’ Washing.
“Oh, here you are, Mrs Smithers. Aunt was saying just now that she wondered you had not been up. I told her perhaps it was on account of the hot weather, for it has been terribly trying.”
“Oh, bless your heart, Miss Minnie!” said the tall, sturdy, buxom-looking woman who had just set down a big basket in the veranda, “the weather doesn’t make no difference to me. Whether it’s hot or whether it’s cold, I have got to get my bit of washing done; though I am a bit tried when it comes to that mounsoon, or mounseer, or whatever they call it, when it’s such strange, hard work to get the things dry. But even then it ain’t fair to complain, for the soft water’s lovely, and plenty of it. But I am late again this week, and it has been very hard work to get the officers washed. ’Tain’t half-an-hour since I took young Mr Maine’s home to his quarters. I hope your aunt ain’t cross with me.”
“Oh no, she’s not angry. She knew there must be some good reason. We were half-afraid you were ill.”
“Not me, Miss Minnie! I’ve never no time to be ill; and if I had been, no matter how bad I was I should have been up here to the Doctor for one of his exhibitions, as he calls them. I’ve brought his white suit, miss, and it looks lovely. Shall I show it you?”
“I know how it will be, Mrs Smithers,” said Minnie, smiling. “I am glad there has been nothing wrong.”
“Oh, don’t you be glad, miss. It’s sorry I am.”
“Why, what’s the trouble?”