It was a very interesting story, all about lords and dukes; I had never read one like it before. They were most funny people, and always getting fond of quite strangers and wanting to fly with them. I was just in the middle, when suddenly I heard the door open. Before I could think, I’d pushed all the papers under the eiderdown. That was the part Mother minded most when I told her, because it seemed mean. I’ve tried to think since that I did it because Lizzie had asked me not to let any one see the papers, but it wasn’t that really, at least not mostly. Besides, what Mother said was that if I had put away the novelettes at the beginning without looking at them, and then have given them back to Lizzie at the first opportunity, that would have saved her getting into trouble just the same, and I should not have been mean. Well, I suppose when Mrs. Charlton came in I looked rather uncomfortable; also there may have been a bit of one of the papers sticking out. Anyway, the first thing she did was to lift up the eiderdown. Then of course she saw them all. I felt awful. No one said anything for what seemed a long time, and then Mrs. Charlton made a horrid noise in her throat and began: “You are so utterly deceitful,” she said, “that it is not of very much use to put questions to you, but I should be glad if you would kindly inform me where you procured this degrading form of literature.” I didn’t answer. That wasn’t naughtiness, but because of Lizzie. Mrs. Charlton asked me again, and she asked me other questions of the same sort, but of course I couldn’t answer them either. She got angrier and angrier. At last she said, “I shall send you home immediately. I cannot have my household corrupted by your low tastes and deceitfulness.” That was the first nice thing she had said since I had been there. Of course I didn’t altogether like it, because it seemed horrid to be sent home in disgrace; besides, my coming back would be a worry for them, when Humph was so ill. But I was so happy at the idea of seeing Mother again that I couldn’t really think of anything else. I could hardly help jumping, I was so happy. I said, “Please, shall I put on my coat and hat at once?” I’m sure I said it most politely, but Mrs. Charlton replied “No” most angrily. She said, “You may certainly rest assured that I do not wish to keep you a moment longer than I am compelled, but I am afraid that it would be impossible for me to arrange for your return to-night.” Then she went away. After she had gone I thought a lot. First of all I packed my box, so as to be ready the first thing in the morning. Then I suddenly thought, Why couldn’t I arrange my journey home all alone, so as not to bother Mrs. Charlton? Then I could start off directly? I rushed to the window to see if it had stopped raining, and it had.