Dorothy bowed. She could not utter a word in protest to save her life, although she had quite made up her mind not to remain under that roof.
"Your duties will be light, and I feel sure you will find ours a pleasant home. I will ring for one of the servants to show you to your room;" and suiting the action to the word, she touched the bell, and an instant later a neat little maid appeared, who courtesied and asked Dorothy to follow her.
"Madame will find her little child has already been taken to her apartments," said the girl, opening the door at the further end of the upper corridor.
Yes, little Pearl was there, cooing with delight at her new surroundings, and over the cup of hot milk and crackers on the little stand close beside her.
The girl rose hastily as Dorothy entered, set down the child, and quitted the apartment.
Upon finding herself alone with Pearl, Dorothy snatched the child up in her arms, sank down in the depths of a great easy-chair, and sobbed as though her heart would break.
"Oh, little Pearl! how I wish that we had never come here!" she moaned. "It makes me feel so sad."
The baby's blue eyes looked up into her own in wonder, but her soft cooing and the clasp of her little soft, warm fingers could not comfort Dorothy.
After luncheon she was called into Mrs. Garner's room.
"I am not feeling well," she said, motioning Dorothy to a seat. "I should like you to read to me until I fall asleep. Take any of the books from the book-case in the library. I have no choice."