"We will not think of that," returned Nan, soothingly. "Susan's quarter will be up shortly, and we must get her away as soon as possible. My great fear is that the work may be too much for you, poor Dorothy; and that--that--we may have to keep you waiting sometimes for your wages," she added, rather hesitatingly fearing to offend Dorothy's touchy temper, and yet determined to put the whole matter clearly before her.
"I don't think we need talk about that," returned Dorothy, with dignity. "I have not saved up my wages for nineteen years without having a nest-egg laid up for rainy days. Wages,--when I mention the word, Miss Nan," went on Dorothy, waxing somewhat irate, "it will be time enough to enter upon that subject. I haven't deserved such a speech; no, that I haven't," went on Dorothy, with a sob. "Wages, indeed!"
"Now, nursey, you shan't be cross with Nan," cried Dulce, throwing her arms round the old woman; for, in spite of her eighteen years, she was still Dorothy's special charge. "She's quite right; it may be an unpleasant subject, but we will not have you working for us for nothing."
"Very well, Miss Dulce," returned Dorothy, in a choked voice preparing to withdraw; but Nan caught hold of the hard work-worn hand, and held her fast.
"Oh, Dorothy, you would not add to our trouble now, when we are so terribly unhappy! I never meant to hurt your feelings by what I said. If you will only go to the Friary and help us to make the dear mother comfortable, I, for one, will be deeply grateful."
"And you will not talk of wages?" asked Dorothy, mollified by Nan's sweet, pleading tones.
"Not until we can afford to do so," returned Nan, hastily, feeling that this was a safe compromise, and that they should be eked out somehow. And then, the stewed pigeons being regarded as a failure, Dorothy consented to remove the supper tray, and the long day was declared at an end.
Oldfield was rather mystified by the Challoners' movements. There were absolutely three afternoons during which Nan and her sisters were invisible. There was a tennis-party at the Paines' on one of these days, but at the last minute they had excused themselves. Nan's prettily-worded note was declared very vague and unsatisfactory, and on the following afternoon there was a regular invasion of the cottage,--Carrie Paine, and two of the Twentyman girls, and Adelaide Sartoris and her young brother Albert.