Possibly the specimen of
manners she had just given had not led either him or Lady Barbara to
think her fit for a late dinner.
Lady Barbara first took her up-stairs, and showed her a little long
narrow bed-room, with a pretty pink-curtained bed in it.
"This will be your room, my dear," she said. "I am sorry we have not
a larger one to offer you; but it opens into mine, as you see, and my
sister's is just beyond. Our maid will dress you for a few days,
when I hope to engage one for you."
Here was something like promotion! Kate dearly loved to have herself
taken off her own hands, and not to be reproved by Mary for
untidiness, or roughly set to rights by Lily's nurse. She actually
exclaimed, "Oh, thank you!" And her aunt waited till the hat and
cloak had been taken off and the chestnut hair smoothed, looked at
her attentively, and said, "Yes, you are like the family."
"I'm very like my own papa," said Kate, growing a little bolder, but
still speaking with her head on one side, which was her way when she
said anything sentimental.
"I dare say you are," answered her aunt, with the dry sound. "Are
you ready now? I will show you the way. The house is very small,"
continued Lady Barbara, as they went down the stairs to the ground
floor; "and this must be your school-room for the present."
It was the room under the back drawing-room; and in it was a lady in
a widow's cap, sitting at work.
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