'I can't say I agree with you,' he said. 'Well, I'll run on and tell
mamma you're all right;' and off he set.

Biddy followed him slowly, feeling rather depressed.

'I didn't mean to be cross,' she said to herself in her usual way,
though she really did feel what she said this time. 'It was kind of
Roughie to come to meet me. They're all good 'acept me. Celestina's good
too. I'm made all the wrong way,' and she sighed deeply.

She brightened up again, however, when she met her mother at the door.

'That's right, Biddy dear,' said Mrs. Vane. 'You've not stayed too
late.'

Rough was there too; he had not told about her being cross evidently,
and Biddy felt grateful to him. It was very nice when mamma spoke like
that; it reminded her of the way her hand had been pressed that
afternoon. But a sudden thought rather chilled her satisfaction. Biddy
was beginning to be troubled with thoughts, and thoughts too that would
not be driven away and forgotten, as she had been accustomed to drive
away and forget anything that made her feel at all uncomfortable. This
thought teased and pricked her for a few seconds, and though she
wriggled herself about and stamped her feet down with hard thumps on the
gravel, it would not go.

'Biddy,' it said, 'Biddy, you know what you should do.'

So that at last, in sheer impatience of its teasing, she gave her
mother's sleeve a little tug.