In spite of herself, there was a tone of triumph in her voice, for was not Harriet her friend, and did not every one else adore Robina?
“Would you mind?” she asked, fixing her round black eyes now on Robina’s face.
“Mind?” replied Robina. “Yes,” she said, after a little pause, “I don’t like to own to such a horrid feeling, but I am proud of Ralph’s love.”
She turned away as she spoke. She was going to her own room. In order to reach it, she had to pass the tiny chamber where Ralph slept. She found one of the maid-servants coming out. The woman had in her hand a little white drill suit all soaked through and much stained with the green weed which grows on ponds.
“I have just found this, miss,” she said, “in the cupboard in Master Ralph’s room. I wonder how it came there. Surely, little Master Ralph has not had a ducking in the pond.”
Robina felt the colour rushing into her face. For a minute, a sense of triumph filled her. Then she said, gently:
“Send that suit to the wash, please, Maria; and,” she added, “do not say anything about it.”
“There are stockings too, miss, all sopping, and shoes.”
“You can have the shoes dried, can’t you?” said Robina.
“Oh, yes, miss, certainly.”