Frederica did not go home first. She took Nora some distance out of her way to her father’s office, and bade her good-bye at the door.
“Thank you, Nora, don’t wait. Papa will take care of me now.”
Her father looked surprised, and not very well pleased to see her. Not that she was interrupting his business, for she saw that he was only reading the newspaper. She did not give him time to express his surprise in words, nor did she greet him in her usual fashion, but said hurriedly, “I came on business, papa.” She did not find it easy to say more for a minute; and something which he saw in her face kept her father silent also.
“Papa, do you know that Mrs Glencairn has not been paid for more than a year and a half? for Tessie and me, I mean.”
Her father stared at her in astonishment, not understanding for the moment what she meant.
“What nonsense, Frederica!” said he: “and what have you to do with it?”
“It is quite true, papa, and of course I have to do with it. Mrs Glencairn must be paid.”
“And did she send you here to say that to me? She has been paid. I cannot say that I admire either her taste or her judgment. I think we have had almost enough of madam the schoolmistress.”
“I think she must have had quite enough of us, papa. But she did not send me. She is not aware that I know about it. I overheard her speaking about it to Mistress Campbell.”
“Overheard! and you have been suffering the usual penalty of listeners.”