The colour came slowly back to Maureen's face until it burned in her cheeks like two great spots.
"Dominic," she said, without taking the slightest notice of the girls, "we must not let such sheer ignorance trouble us. Go, like a darling to Pegeen, and get me some cloths and some Adams' polish. I daresay I can make the piano look fairly well until it is properly repolished, which 'dear Colonel' I know will get done for me."
"Then we needn't sit up, I suppose," said Henrietta, giving a profound yawn.
"Oh, no," said Maureen. "Oh, I'm very, very sorry for you. You must have felt so bad afterwards. It is dreadful to feel very bad—afterwards. Good-night!"
There was a wonderful gracious sort of dignity about this little girl which subdued the Mostyns for the time being; but they were more than ever determined to punish her.
"She feels nothing; she hasn't a scrap of heart," said Daisy. "Think of her putting on those absurd airs. But we'll touch her yet; I vow we will!"
"Yes, we will, we will—I declare we will!" exclaimed Henrietta. Soon they were lying in their oak bedsteads side by side, and talking in low whispers about how they could punish Maureen.
The next day passed much as usual. The little, half-French, half-Irish girl was very brave, and spent most of her time with Dominic. Her face was sadly pale, and she had a look about her eyes which frightened the boy because he could not understand it. "If she only would fly out in a rage," he thought, "I could bear it better."
The Colonel came as usual to take his little favourite for a ride, and during their ride the child made an unexpected request.
"I don't want to make any complaint," she began, "but I want the dear, darling Blüthner to go home to you for a time. We can hire a piano from Kingsala, and the Blüthner will be safer with you. It got a little injured yesterday, but I can't tell you how, dear Colonel; only if you keep it I shall feel happy, and when I come to you I can sing and play; and we can hire quite a good enough piano at Barry's on the Long Quay at Kingsala."