“Becky,” said Tiza, sitting down beside her sister, as if nothing had happened, “here’s some strawberries. Wheeler gave me some. You can have some if you want.”
“Just one,” said Becky, in her weak shaky voice, smiling at her; and Tiza knelt on the bed and stuffed one softly into her mouth.
“You’ll have to nurse baby now, Tiza,” said Becky presently; “he’s been under mother’s feet terrible. Mind you don’t let him eat nasty things. He’ll get at the coals if you don’t mind him.”
“I’ll not let him,” said Tiza shortly, setting to work on her own strawberries.
All this didn’t sound very affectionate; but I think all the same Tiza did love Becky, and I believe she tried to do her best in her own funny way while Becky was ill. Baby screamed a good deal certainly when she nursed him, and it was quite impossible of course for Tiza to keep out of mischief altogether for two or three weeks. Still, on the whole, she was a help to her mother; while as for Becky she was never quite happy when Tiza was out of the house. Becky, like Milly, had a way of loving everybody about her, and next to her mother she loved Tiza best of anybody.
After all, the children were able to say good-bye to Becky. Just the day before they were to go away Mr. Backhouse came down to say that Becky would like to see them very much if they could come, and the doctor said they might.
So up they went; Milly a good deal excited, and Olly very curious to see what Becky would look like. Mr. Backhouse took them in, and they found Becky lying comfortably on a little bed, with a patchwork counterpane, and her shoulders and arms covered up in a red flannel dressing-gown that Aunt Emma had sent her.
“‘Haven’t you got a bump?’ asked Olly”
Milly kissed her, and Olly shook her hand, and they didn’t all quite know what to say.