‘Hasn’t Anna come in?’ asked Mrs. Harnham.
‘No m’m.’
‘She ought to be in by this time. I meant her to go for ten minutes only.’
‘Shall I go and look for her, m’m?’ said the house-maid alertly.
‘No. It is not necessary: she is a good girl and will come soon.’
However, when the servant had gone Mrs. Harnham arose, went up to her room, cloaked and bonneted herself, and proceeded downstairs, where she found her husband.
‘I want to see the fair,’ she said; ‘and I am going to look for Anna. I have made myself responsible for her, and must see she comes to no harm. She ought to be indoors. Will you come with me?’
‘Oh, she’s all right. I saw her on one of those whirligig things, talking to her young man as I came in. But I’ll go if you wish, though I’d rather go a hundred miles the other way.’
‘Then please do so. I shall come to no harm alone.’
She left the house and entered the crowd which thronged the market-place, where she soon discovered Anna, seated on the revolving horse. As soon as it stopped Mrs. Harnham advanced and said severely, ‘Anna, how can you be such a wild girl? You were only to be out for ten minutes.’