There was nothing to do, after I had done that. I stood some more at the window. At eleven o''clock a maid brought up a tray. ''Miss Maud isn''t here,'' I said, when I saw the silver tea-pot; but the tea was for me. I drank it in fairy-sips, to make it last the longer. Then I took the tray back down, thinking to save the maid another journey. When they saw me carrying it into the kitchen, however, the girls there stared and the cook said,⑧思⑧兔⑧網⑧文⑧檔⑧共⑧享⑧與⑧在⑧線⑧閱⑧讀⑧
''Well, I never! If you think Margaret ain''t quick enough coming, you must speak to Mrs Stiles. But I''m sure, Miss Fee never called anyone idle.''
Miss Fee was the Irish maid who had got sick with the scarlatina. It seemed very cruel to be supposed prouder than her, when I was only trying to be kind.
But I said nothing. I thought, ''Miss Maud likes me, if you don''t!'' For she was the only one, of all of them, to have spared me a pleasant word; and suddenly I longed for the time to pass, not for its own sake, but as it would take me back to her.
At least at Briar you always knew what hour it was. The twelve struck, and then the half, and I made my way to the back-stairs and hung about there until one of the parlourmaids went by, and she showed me the way to