The breakfast-bell was ringing, and they met Lucy in the hall. She glanced slyly towards her sister, remembering the conversation of the evening before. Rosa kissed her cordially, and, hand in hand, they went to the table.
"Perhaps Miss Rosa had bettor pour out coffee," said Mrs. Maxwell stiffly to the doctor, as the children came in.
"Would you like it, Rosa?" asked her father.
Rosa saw that Mrs. Maxwell looked displeased, and, in a moment, it passed through her mind, that perhaps she would not like to give up the place she had held so long to one so young as herself, and she quickly said,—
"May I put that off a little longer, father? I am afraid I could not suit you as well as Mrs. Maxwell does; she has made tea for you a great while."
"A long time, dear child," said the doctor; and his thoughts went back to the days when his delicate wife sat opposite him, her sweet face growing paler each morning, until at last her weak hands could no longer do their office, and Mrs. Maxwell took her place.
Rosa knew of what her father must be thinking, and she did not speak for several minutes. At length she said, "Is old Mr. Packard any better to-day, father?"
"I have not seen him yet," was the reply. "I shall have to make a round of visits this morning," continued the doctor, "so I shall not have the pleasure of taking my tall daughter to church to-day: I leave that to Harty."
Harty looked very proud at the idea of waiting on his sister. Little Lucy listened in vain to hear something said about her forming one of the party. She resolved, at least, to get ready, and perhaps no one would object to her going.
When they rose from the breakfast-table, Rosa went to her room, thinking she should have a quiet hour to herself before it was time to prepare for church; but Lucy and Harty followed her. The rules had been very strict at Mr. Gillette's: the young ladies seldom, visited each other in their bed-rooms, and then never entered without knocking.