"Hullo! Where's Mary Ann?" he said lightly.
"She's above work now," said Rosie, with an unamiable laugh. "You know about her fortune."
"Yes; but your mother told me she insisted on going about her work till
Monday."
"So she said yesterday—silly little thing! But to-day she says she'll only help mother in the kitchen—and do all the boots of a morning. She won't do any more waiting."
"Ah!" said Lancelot, crumbling his toast.
"I don't believe she knows what she wants," concluded Rosie, turning to go.
"Then I suppose she's in the kitchen now?" he said, pouring out his coffee down the side of his cup.
"No, she's gone out now, sir."
"Gone out!" He put down the coffee-pot—his saucer was full. "Gone out where?"
"Only to buy things. You know her vicar is coming to take her away the day after tomorrow, and mother wanted her to look tidy enough to travel with the vicar; so she gave her a sovereign."