'I don't think Mr. Lennox is leaving us,' she answered, after a pause. 'I thought it was settled last night that he was to be told that he mustn't bring friends home after eleven o'clock at night. When I see him I'll speak to him about it.'
'The house is yours, deary. If you're satisfied, I am.' And Kate walked into the kitchen, and when she had finished her dinner she went upstairs to see Ralph, whom Mrs. Ede declared to be much better. On passing the workroom the door opened suddenly and the bright faces of the little girls darted out.
'Oh, is that you, Mrs. Ede? How we've missed you all the morning!' Annie cried.
'And Miss Hender has been so busy that she had to get me to help her with the skirt, and I did a great long piece myself without a mistake. Didn't I, Miss Hender?'
'I'm going to see my husband,' said Kate, smiling; 'but I shall be down presently, and I've bought something for you.'
'Oh, what is it?' cried Annie excitedly.
'You shall see presently.'
Ralph was lying still in bed, propped up in his usual attitude, with his legs tucked under him.
'Don't you think we might open something?' she said, as she sat down by the bedside; 'and your sheets want changing.'
'Oh, if you've only come in to turn everything upside-down, you might as well have stayed away.' He spoke with difficulty, in a thin wheeze.