“No, miss; it may be more truthful to say I did not. When young ladies talk silly, naughty words I have a ’abit of shutting up my ears; so it ain’t no manner of use to talk on to me, miss, for I don’t hear, and I won’t hear, and that is flat. If you will come now, like a good little lady, and allow yourself to be dressed, I have a bit of a surprise for you; but you will not know about it before your toilet is complete.”
“A bit of a surprise!” said Evelyn, who was intensely curious. “What in the world can it be?”
“I will tell you when you are dressed, miss; and I must ask you to hurry, for my mistress is waiting for me.”
If Evelyn had one overweening failing more than another, it was inordinate curiosity. She rose, therefore, and submitted with a very bad grace to Read’s manipulations. Her face and hands were washed, and Read proceeded to brush out the scanty flaxen locks.
“Are you not going to pile my hair on the top of my head?” asked the little girl.
“Oh dear, no, Miss Wynford; that ain’t at all the way little ladies of your age wear their hair.”
“I always wore it like that when I was in Tasmania with mothery!”
“Tasmania is not England, miss. It would not suit her ladyship for you to wear your hair so.”
“Then I won’t wear it any other way.”
“As you please, miss. I can put on your dress, and you can arrange your hair yourself, but I won’t give you what will be a bit of a surprise to you.”