“Mother!” Agnes uttered her name in a loud, impatient tone, grasping her arm as she spoke, and shaking it to attract attention.
“What do you want, you troublesome girl?” Mrs. Dainty turned angrily toward her daughter.
“Can’t I take my music-lesson first?”
“I don’t care what lesson you take first! Go away, and don’t disturb me!”
This was the mother’s thoughtless answer. Agnes glided away in triumph, and Mrs. Dainty’s eyes fell back to the pages of her book, unconscious of the meaning of her reply.
“I’m going to take my music-lesson first!” said Agnes, as she came into the study-room, where Miss Harper was seated with George and Madeline. And she tightened her lips firmly, elevated her chin, and tossed her head jauntily, while from her clear, dark eyes looked out upon her teacher a spirit of proud defiance.
“Very well,” replied Florence, in a voice that showed not the slightest disturbance. “At twelve o’clock I will be ready to give the lesson.”
“I’m going to take it now,” said Agnes, drawing up her petite form to its extreme height, and looking, or rather trying to look, very imperious.
Miss Harper could scarcely help smiling; but she repressed all feeling, and merely answered,—
“You can practise your scales for the next two hours, if you prefer doing so, Agnes. At twelve I will give you a lesson.”