“Is Mr. Winter at home, please?” repeated Priscilla; adding, as firmly as she could, “I want to see him.”
“Then you can’t,” answered the housekeeper rudely; “he don’t see visitors. What’s your name?”
“I think Mr. Winter would see me,” said Priscilla eagerly. The fear that after all she might not be able to reach him with her appeal made her desperate. She had never contemplated failure of that kind. “My name is Carlyon, but I don’t suppose Mr. Winter would know it. I want very much indeed to see him, though. It is most important.”
“What for? What can a little girl like you want to be troubling a gentleman like Mr. Winter for?” she asked roughly. “If you’re come begging for clubs or charities or things, I can tell you at once, it isn’t any good, and you can run away as quick as you come.”
“But I am not begging,” said Priscilla emphatically—“not for money.”
“Well, we haven’t got any flowers or fruit to give away. I can tell ’ee that too. So you may as well run ’long home to where you come from.”
“You shouldn’t speak like that,” said Priscilla indignantly; “you shouldn’t be rude.” She was hurt and insulted, and she felt that this woman would prevent her seeing her master if she possibly could. “I spoke quite civilly to you, and I’ve come on important business, and I am sure Mr. Winter would see me if he knew I wanted him. But it doesn’t matter; I will write to him,” and she turned away with great dignity, but only just in time to prevent the woman from seeing the tears that would well up in her eyes.
Very angry indeed, Mrs. Tucker shut the door with a bang, while Priscilla walked down the gravel path with great dignity, her head held high, but with, oh! such an aching heart, such despair and disappointment; and then, suddenly, a gentleman appeared at her side and was speaking to her quite kindly.
“What is the matter?” he asked, not ungently; “you are in trouble? Can I do anything for you?”
Just for a second he had thought this must be his little culprit of a day or two since, but when he looked again he saw that the strange visitor was taller and older, and her face, though like that other one, was paler, and thinner, and graver.