“Oh, do sit down,” said Peggy. “You spoil everything. Just look, we’re going right on to this rainbow, I do believe! Yes, we’re on the purple part. Isn’t it a lovely smooth road? There, now, we’re off it and on the pink bit! Oh, why don’t you sit still and love it all as I do?”
“Because I’m going to get out,” said the Mayor, stepping over the door and lowering himself slowly till only his hand holding the step, and his very reproachful face showed themselves. “Now then,” he added, “you’ve only got till I count five; I shall let go then—perhaps”—he added in a whisper, being a truthful Mayor, but very softly so that she shouldn’t hear.
“Oh dear, it is mean of you to make me use up my last wish so soon!” said Peggy in a very vexed voice. “And I managed this drive especially for you, to make up for our having spoilt the Post Office and things.—Oh, very well,” she added crossly, as the Mayor reached four, and let go one hand, “I wish you were home and I was too, because you simply spoil everything when you won’t play properly!”...
“If I do, it’s not for you to say so, Miss Peggy,” was the reply, and Peggy found herself back in the garden again facing a rather red-faced and angry Nurse. “Just because I stop to speak to John for one moment, is no reason for you to think yourself neglected! I’m sure I never heard you call you were ready, so how was I to know? Then you come bouncing down on me like that!”
“Why, Nannie, did I bounce?” asked Peggy, very much interested. She had wondered before what her return looked like when the wishes were over.
“Don’t repeat my words,” said Nurse crossly. “I was meaning the way you spoke, of course. How could you bounce down from behind the laurels? Now, come along into tea at once.”
“O Nannie, I’ve had such fun!” said Peggy, dancing along the path. “I went up, and up, and up——”
“There!” exclaimed Nurse. “One moment it’s grumble, grumble, the next all the other way! I won’t have you climbing trees either in hide-and-seek. You can’t expect to be found if you act like that. Now—not another word——”
“I’m afraid the Giant’s dreadfully lost this time!” thought Peggy, as she washed her hands for tea. “I don’t fink I was very kind to him! I do wonder if the fat lady minded the big hole in the car, and the wheel being lost. Oh, but I suppose that all comes right again, just as she forgets that the Giant sat her down in the drive! It would be lovely to tell Nannie that I’d driven a Mayor up a rainbow in a real motor car! But it’s no good trying to, she doesn’t understand the sensiblest things.”
And she ran into the day nursery to see which jam cook had sent up for tea.