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Updated: June 28, 2025
Moore!" raising her voice to call to the gardener, "is it possible I see that odious pink and white stripe amongst the tulips again? you know I hate it. The most mawkish, foolish thing! It offends the eye. See that it is rooted up without delay. Miss Munnion, we will now go indoors, and you'll perhaps be kind enough to show this young lady her room, and tell her when we dine and so forth.
Mrs Fotheringham started nervously; she grasped the arms of her chair and exclaimed half awake in an agitated voice: "What's the matter? Who's there? Who's done what?" "It's the duck," stammered Iris in a more subdued manner. "Is the chimney on fire?" continued Mrs Fotheringham. "I insist on knowing what's the matter. Miss Munnion, where are you? Why don't you find out what's the matter?"
She was inspecting her tulips, and was followed by Miss Munnion, and at a little further distance by the gardener.
But she thought of Diana, and of poor Miss Munnion waiting outside, and managed to gasp out: "Please let Miss Munnion come back." "She hasn't gone yet that I know of," replied Mrs Fotheringham, without removing her eyes from the child. "But she must," continued Iris, "because of Diana."
"Then you'd better come straight to my godmother and tell her," said Iris, "if you mean to go." "Oh, of course I mean to go," said Miss Munnion reproachfully. "How could I forsake Diana when she wants me?" "Well, then, there's no use in thinking of anything else," said Iris. It was an evident relief to Miss Munnion to be taken in hand firmly even by a child.
"Good-bye," she said, holding out her hand, "and I hope you'll find your sister Diana better." She felt inclined to add, "Take care of your purse, and don't lose your ticket," as though she were parting from a child; but Miss Munnion suddenly leaned forward, and gave her a hard little nervous kiss.
"Oh!" she cried in her shrill childish voice, "what do you think the duck has done?" It was so dark after the bright sunlight out of doors that at first she did not see her godmother at all, but only Miss Munnion, who dropped her book in her lap and stared at her with a helpless and frightened face.
She felt very sorry, but also a little contemptuous. Of course Diana ought to come before everything, and yet Miss Munnion did not seem able to make up her mind to go to her. "Well," she said, "you can't go to Sunderland and stay here too." "Very true," murmured Miss Munnion. She did not mean anything by these words, but they were so habitual that she could not help using them.
"It's something about a duck," said Miss Munnion slowly, "but I really don't quite " By this time Mrs Fotheringham was fully awake, and had recovered from her confusion. "You never do, quite," she said sharply. Then to Iris: "Child, come here and explain why you rush into the room in this abominable manner." Poor Iris advanced.
"I'm so afraid," said Miss Munnion, wiping her eyes meekly, "that Mrs Fotheringham will dismiss me if I go, and I can't afford to lose the situation I really can't. And it's such an expensive journey to Sunderland. And yet, there's Diana; she comes before everything, and it cuts me to the heart to think of her asking for me." Iris stood looking at her gravely.
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