She glanced at the clock hastily. It lacked a few minutes of four.
“There is plenty of time,” she exclaimed. “We shall have tea. I always wanted you to drink tea with me. How things do come out as one wishes at last. You must eat some of the cake I made this morning. It’s a beautiful four-egg cake with white icing.”
The girls were well pleased to drink tea with Marie-Jeanne. They had much to say to each other. Where had Marie-Jeanne been since they last saw her on London Bridge? Did she like Edinburgh and was her mother quite well? Had she heard about little Arthur, who was still lost or kidnapped? To all of which questions Marie-Jeanne replied with bright nods and brief answers while she prepared the tea.
“But I can’t get over your looks, dear Marie-Jeanne,” cried Billie. “You must have gained many pounds, and it makes you so pretty, and what a pretty dress you are wearing.”
Marie-Jeanne glanced proudly down at her neat blue serge.
“It’s happiness and work and good air that have improved my appearance,” she answered, cutting the cake with a professional flourish.
Then the three girls sat down around the little stove and sipped their tea and ate cake and talked of many things.
“Doesn’t your mother find it rather hard to climb these stairs?” asked Nancy.
Marie-Jeanne looked very uncomfortable.
“Have you seen the view?” she asked, pretending not to have heard Nancy’s question and glancing rather uneasily at the clock.