‘Father stopped with me ever so long, until the boys came to bed,’ were Robin’s first words the next morning; ’and doctor came, and said we looked quite snug, and he is going to send father some books to read, and some papers, and father said he was more comfortable than downstairs, as I did not mind his pipe, and Tom has hung my linnet there,’ pointing to the window, ’and if you open the cage, miss, you will see him hop all over the bedclothes, and chirp in the beautifullest way.’

We had a great deal of cleaning to do that day.  I shall never forget Lady Betty’s face when she came upstairs and saw me down on my knees at work in my corner of the room; for Sally was little, and the room was large, and I was obliged to go to her assistance.

‘Good gracious, Miss Garston!’ she said, in quite a shocked voice, ’you do not mean to tell me that you consider it your duty to scrub floors?’

‘Well, no,’ I returned, laughing, for really her consternation was ludicrous, ’I should consider it a waste of strength, generally; but we never know what comes in a day’s work.  Sally is so little that I am obliged to help her.’

‘Why can’t Mrs. Bell do it?’ asked Lady Betty indignantly.

’Mrs. Bell has hardly time to cook the children’s dinner.  Please don’t look so shocked.  I don’t often scrub floors, and I have nearly finished now.  What have you brought in that basket, little Red Riding-Hood?’ for in her little crimson hood-like bonnet she did not look so unlike Red Riding-Hood.

’Oh, Giles asked Gladys to send some things for poor little Robin, and she packed them herself.  There is a jar of beef-tea, and some jelly, and some new-laid eggs, and sponge-cakes, and a roll or two; and Gladys hopes you will let her know what Robin wants, for he used to be her little scholar, and she is so interested in him.’

Of course I knew Lady Betty would chatter about me when she returned home, but I was rather vexed when Mr. Hamilton took me to task the next morning and gave me quite a lecture on the subject; he made me promise at last that I would never do anything of the kind again.  I hardly know what made me so submissive.  I think it was his threat of keeping any more patients from me, and then he seemed so thoroughly put out.

‘It is such folly wearing yourself out like this, Miss Garston,’ he said angrily.  ’I wonder why women never will learn common sense.  If you work under me I will thank you to obey my directions, and I do not choose my nurse to waste her time and strength in scrubbing floors.  Yes, Robin boy, I am very angry with nurse; but there is no occasion for you to cry about it; and—­why, good heavens! if you are not crying too, Miss Garston!  Of course; there, I told you so; you have just knocked yourself up.’

His tone so aggravated me that I plucked up a little spirit.

’I am not a bit knocked up,’—­and, in rather a choky voice, ’I am not crying; I never cry before people; only I am a little tired.  I was up all last night with Mrs. Marshall, and you talk so much.’