The girls had, therefore, plenty of time for self-pity. Annie was the very soul of sympathy, and it was a comfort to poor Nora and Hester to pour out their sorrows in her affectionate ears. As for Nan, she took refuge a good part of the time with Mrs. Martin, who shook her fists, when Nan was not looking, at the backs of Sir John and Mrs. Bernard Temple as they walked down one of the lawns side by side.
"She's his match!" murmured the old woman. "She'll give it to him; now he'll know what a selfish wife means! He have 'ad his turn of the other kind, and now he'll know what the selfish sort is. Serve him right, I say; serve him well right!"
At last the weary Sunday came to an end and on Monday, after breakfast, Susy announced her intention of going over to the Towers.
"I suppose I can have a carriage?" she said, turning to Sir John, who paused in his exit from the dining-room to give her his polite attention.
"I suppose I can have a carriage?" she repeated.
Annie interrupted—
"The Towers is scarcely a mile away across the fields," she said.
"I don't think I can walk a mile," replied Susy; "my muscles are awfully weak—I dare not strain them."
"You can have a carriage with pleasure," said Sir John. "I will order one to be round at whatever hour you wish to name."
"At once, please," said Susy; "there's a good deal to be done. I've to measure all the rooms for carpets and druggets."