Kate was almost distressed; yet she felt more at her ease than with
her aunts, and answered, "Not at all, thank you," in her natural
tone.

"Was it a long journey?"

Kate had been silent so long, that her tongue was ready for exertion;
and she began to chatter forth all the events of the journey, without
heeding much whether she were listened to or not, till having come to
the end of her breath, she saw that Mrs. Lacy was leaning back in her
chair, her eyes fixed as if her attention had gone away. Kate
thereupon roamed round the room, peeped from the window and saw that
it looked into a dull black-looking narrow garden, and then studied
the things in the room. There was a piano, at which she shook her
head. Mary had tried to teach her music; but after a daily fret for
six weeks, Mr. Wardour had said it was waste of time and temper for
both; and Kate was delighted. Then she came to a book-case; and
there the aunts had kindly placed the books of their own younger
days, some of which she had never seen before. When she had once
begun on the "Rival Crusoes," she gave Mrs. Lacy no more trouble,
except to rouse her from it to drink her tea, and then go and be
dressed.

The maid managed the white muslin so as to make her look very nice;
but before she had gone half way down-stairs, there was a voice
behind--"My Lady! my Lady!"

She did not turn, not remembering that she herself must be meant; and
the maid, running after her, caught her rather sharply, and showed
her her own hand, all black and grimed.