“Not all day, I hope, Miss Roberts,” he said. “It’s not good for the child in this hot weather. You don’t want to have her ill on your hands?”
Aunt Euphemia then began to give him the whole history of the night before; and Dr. Seaton seemed to listen, as if it were all new to him.
“Well, she told you honestly about it, Miss Roberts. Don’t you think half a day in bed will be enough punishment, this time?” he said.
“I wish to be firm!” said Aunt Euphemia; but there was a sound of wavering in her voice that made Peggy wriggle in bed with delight, for she thought her hour of release was coming.
“Suppose you let the child get up now,” Dr. Seaton urged.
“Oh, she will just get into some fresh mischief the moment she is out of bed. I never saw a child like her,” said Aunt Euphemia; “Martin is quite worn out with looking after her.”
“I saw that pleasant-looking cook of yours gathering currants in the kitchen-garden as I came past. Why don’t you let Peggy help her? She couldn’t get any harm there, I fancy,” said Dr. Seaton. “But I must go now. Good-bye, Miss Roberts.”
And Peggy heard him run down the steps. Would she be allowed to get up? She held her breath. Aunt Euphemia came in.
“Peggy, if you are a very good girl you may get up now, and go out into the kitchen-garden and gather black currants with Janet,” she said.
The words were scarcely uttered before Peggy was out of bed and struggling into her clothes. She was in such a hurry that she put on her stockings on the wrong side, and fastened her frock all wrong; but she managed to get dressed somehow, though she would have been much quicker if she had not been in such a hurry—which sounds absurd, but is quite true. Then out into the sunny garden she ran as fast as her feet could carry her. It was deliciously warm, and such a nice, hot, fruity smell was all over the place. Janet wore a big straw bonnet, and carried a basket already half full of black currants.