"O, uncle, what a joke! there no use in your pretending that you don't know any better than that," she answered merrily.
"Well, perhaps I do; but he certainly says something about lying late in bed."
"Several things; one occurs to me now. 'Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.' But it cannot mean that we should not take needful rest?"
"Oh no, of course not! there's nothing gained by that. But where's Miss Worth!"
"She has not joined us since the house has been so full of guests. I think she takes her meals with the children in the nursery."
"Ah, yes; I presume so; but I had forgotten it, and it struck me that she might be ill. I thought she was looking badly last night. Did you notice it?"
"Yes; I did. I will inquire about her," Mildred said, remembering with a pang of self-reproach how ghastly a face the governess had worn on taking her seat at the piano.
She might be very ill, unable to call for help, neglected by the sleepy maids, and she herself had been up for two hours and ought to have gone to her door to inquire.
She went immediately on leaving the table, her alarm and anxiety increased on the way thither by the information, gleaned from one of the servants, that Miss Worth had not been present at the nursery breakfast.
Mildred rapped lightly, then louder, and receiving no answer, tried the door. It opened and she stole softly in.
Miss Worth lay on the outside of the bed, still dressed as she had last seen her--in the drawing room at the piano--and sleeping heavily. Her face was very pale and distressed and she moaned now and then as if in pain.
She had nothing over her; but a heavy dark shawl lay on the floor beside the chimney Mildred picked it up and spread it over her, drew down the blinds to shut out the glare of the sun, rang for the maid, and while waiting for her, moved quietly about the room putting things in their places.
"It is very cold here, for the fire is quite out and must be made up at once," she whispered, meeting the girl at the door and motioning her to make no noise. "Go bring up wood and kindling."
"De governess sick, Miss Milly?" queried the servant, sending a curious glance in the direction of the bed.