“Impertinent woman!” she murmured. “Go down immediately yourself, Jasper, and bring me up some breakfast. Go—do you hear? I will not be ruled by Lady Frances.”
Jasper very unwillingly went down-stairs. She returned in about ten minutes to inform Evelyn that it was quite useless, that Lady Frances had given most positive orders, and that there was not a servant in the house who would dare to disobey her.
“But you would dare,” said the angry child. “Why did you not go into the larder and fetch the things yourself?”
“The cook took care of that, Miss Evelyn; the larder door was locked.”
“Oh, dear me!” said Evelyn; “and I am so hungry.” She began to cry.
“Had you not better get up, Evelyn?” said the maid. “The servants told me down-stairs that breakfast would be served in the breakfast-room to-day up to ten o’clock.”
“Do you think I am going to let her have the victory over me?” said Evelyn. “No; I shall not stir. I won’t go to meals at all if this sort of thing goes on. Oh, I am cruelly treated! I am—I am! And I am so desperately hungry! Is not there even any chocolate left, Jasper?”
“I am sorry to say there is not, dear—you finished it all, to the last drop, last night; and the tin with the biscuits is empty also. There is nothing to eat in this room. I am afraid you will have to hurry and dress yourself—that is, if you want breakfast.”
“I won’t stir,” said Evelyn—“not if she comes to drag me out of bed with cart-ropes.”
Jasper stood and stared at her young charge.