Mrs. Caryll was pleased at her expressing this wish.
'Certainly, dear,' she said. 'I shall very likely drive over myself to bring you back. I have not seen Aunt Flora,'—for so Rosamond had been told to call Mrs. Hervey—'for some days. Have you made some plan for this afternoon?'
'Only to go for a walk with the big ones,' Miss Mouse replied. 'I daresay we'll go on the moor, for I've hardly been there at all.' And after the early dinner at Moor Edge the children set off for their ramble, having informed Miss Ward that they had no intention of coming home till tea-time.
'Aunt Mattie's coming to fetch me herself,' said Rosamond, 'and now the evenings are rather cold and get so soon dark, she is sure to come in a close carriage, so mightn't we have tea a little later, Miss Ward, so as to be able to stay out as long as it's light?'
She looked up coaxingly in Miss Ward's face.
'I don't think it would do to change the hour,' the governess replied. 'But I won't mind if you're not in just to the minute.'
Miss Ward's not often so good-natured as that,' said Justin. 'I suppose she "favours" you because you're a girl, Miss Mouse.'
'I think she's very kind to everybody,' said Rosamond.
'I'm sure she's had nothing to complain of lately,' said Justin. 'We've been as good as good. I'm getting rather tired of it.'
They were close to the moor by this time. It was a mild day for the time of year, and the sky was very clear.