Coming straight to the drawing-room, Elizabeth exclaimed,
'Mamma, did you tell Mrs. Clarke that she might have a frock for
Susan?'
'Yes, my dear,' said Mrs. Woodbourne; 'she asked me yesterday when
you were not near, and I told her you would give her one. I thought
the child looked very ragged.'
'I suppose she must have it,' said Elizabeth, looking much vexed; 'I
told her she should not, a month ago, unless she sent the children to
school regularly, and they have scarcely been there five days in the
last fortnight.'
'I wish I had known it, my dear,' said Mrs. Woodbourne; 'you know I
am always very sorry to interfere with any of your plans.'
'O Mamma, there is no great harm done,' said Elizabeth. She then
went to fetch the frock, and gave it to the woman with a more gentle
and sensible rebuke than could have been expected from the vehemence
of her manner towards Mrs. Woodbourne a minute before. When this was
done, and she had taken off her bonnet, she came to beckon Anne up-
stairs.
'So you have finished your labours,' said Anne, taking up her work,
while Elizabeth sat down to rule a copy-book for Winifred.
Pages:
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169