“Then I will go, sir.”
With that she gave me my parcel of money, kissed me and bade me farewell, curtsied to the ladies, and left us.
“I shall send up, ladies,” said the Doctor, “a few trifles of additional furniture: a couple of chairs, one of them an arm-chair—but not for this great, strong girl, if you please—a bed, a shelf for books; some cups and saucers we shall provide for you. And now, ladies, I wish you good-morning. And for your present wants—I mean the wants of this hungry country maid, who looks as if mutton hung in toothsome legs on every verdant hedge—this will, I think, suffice;” he placed money in Mrs. Esther’s hand—I could not but think how he had earned that money—and left us.
When he was gone the two ladies looked at each other with a strange, sad, and wistful expression, and Mrs. Esther, with the guineas in her hand, burst into tears.
CHAPTER VI.
HOW KITTY BEGAN TO ENJOY THE LIBERTIES OF THE FLEET.
Her tears disconcerted me extremely. What did she cry for? But she presently recovered and dried her eyes. Then she looked at me thoughtfully, and said—
“Sister, I suppose this child has been accustomed to have a dinner every day?”
“Surely,” replied Mrs. Deborah. “And to-day we shall dine.”
To-day we should all dine? Were there, then, days when we should all go hungry?