But before she could feel alarmed by this, Lady Carey had begun to talk to her, and to ask her questions about her arm, and her illness, and her coming visit to the seaside, and then about Loveday; and very soon Priscilla was telling her all about Loveday and her bucket, and Aaron, and Miss Potts, and all sorts of things; and Lady Carey told Priscilla of how she used to stay by the sea when she was a little girl, and all kinds of other interesting tales; and Priscilla felt that she could stay there and listen to her and talk to her for ever so long. But presently Dr. Carlyon put his head in again.
“Lady Carey, I think your visitor has stayed long enough for one day. Will you tell her to go, please?”
Lady Carey laughed. “I shall tell you to go for just five minutes longer,” she said brightly. “I have something I especially want to say to Priscilla before we part.”
“I suppose I must, then,” said the doctor, laughing, as he turned away.
“Will you ring that bell for me, Priscilla, please?” said Lady Carey, as soon as he had gone.
Priscilla went over and pulled very, very carefully at a pretty silk bell-pull which hung beside the fireplace. It was a very gentle pull, but it answered all right, for in a moment a very neat and smiling maid appeared.
“Sanders, will you go to my room and bring me down that parcel you placed on the table at the foot of my bed this morning.”
“Yes, ’m,” said Sanders; and away she went, and in a moment or so was back again with a big paper parcel in her hand, which she handed to Lady Carey.
Priscilla looked on with interest, wondering what it all meant.
“I have something here,” said Lady Carey, untying the string, “that I have been making for you and your little sister; and I want to give you yours now, and I will ask you to take Loveday’s to her, for I think you may both find them useful by the sea;” and, unwrapping the paper, Lady Carey took out and shook out a pretty warm cloak, big enough to cover Priscilla to the hem of her skirts. It was made of a soft blue cloth, bound with ribbon, and it had a hood lined with silk of the same shade.