“But I tell you to say, dear—never mind Anne!”
“Anne stopped and talked to the ticket-man for a long, long time.”
“Oh, did she?” he said.
At that moment the parlourmaid came to say that Lady Honoria and the “gentleman” were waiting for dinner. Geoffrey asked her casually what time Miss Effie had reached home.
“About half-past five, sir. Anne said the cab was blocked in the fog.”
“Very well. Tell her ladyship that I shall be down in a minute.”
“Daddy,” said the child, “I haven’t said my prayers. Mother did not come, and Anne said it was all nonsense about prayers. Auntie did always hear me my prayers.”
“Yes, dear, and so will I. There, kneel upon my lap and say them.”
In the middle of the prayers—which Effie did not remember as well as she might have done—the parlourmaid arrived again.
“Please, sir, her ladyship——”