Part 6 (2/2)
”Oh, please, sir, is there going to be an accident?” cried Bunny in a voice of terror, and growing very pale. ”My cousin is just come from India, and I am sure he will be frightened,” and she put her little arm round Mervyn as if to protect him from danger.
”No, no, there is not going to be any accident, my little girl,”
answered the old gentleman with a kind smile. ”Don't be afraid, we'll go up again in a minute; but I must say the small cousin from India doesn't look half so much frightened as you do,” and he patted her on the back. ”There, now, off we go, you see, and we'll be at the top in a minute.”
”Oh, I am so glad we are out of that horrid thing! and, Bunny, I am sure we should never have gone into it,” cried Mervyn, as they at last stepped out of the lift and ran quickly along the cliff towards the entrance to the Spa grounds. ”Just think, there might have been an accident and we might have been killed! Oh, it would have been so dreadful if such a thing had happened.”
”Yes, it would,” answered Bunny, ”and Sophie will be angry, for we have been away such a long time. And oh, Mervyn, now I remember, mama told me that I should never leave my nurse when I was out with her, and I quite forgot, and there, I have been disobedient again! I am so sorry.”
”Oh, Bunny, Bunny! why don't you try and remember?” cried Mervyn reproachfully, ”and we promised aunt to be so good just before we came out,” and tears of sorrow stood in the little boy's eyes.
”Never mind, Mervyn, dear,” said Bunny kissing him, ”it was my fault. Don't cry--you were not naughty at all. It was all because I forgot again. Oh, dear, I am afraid Miss Kerr will be angry with me.
But come along quick, there is Sophie. See, she is looking about everywhere for us.”
The two children trotted along at a brisk pace down the steep winding path that led through the pretty ornamental grounds with which the cliff, overhanging the Spa, was tastefully laid out. The trees were high and shady, so the little creatures were not visible from below as they ran quickly on their way. But soon they came to a part where there was not even a bush to hide them from view, and as Sophie walked up and down in despair, her eyes wandering about wildly in every direction, she suddenly caught sight of Bunny's white hat and blue sash, and with a shriek of rage, she bounded up the path, and taking hold of them by the shoulders shook them angrily as she cried in a hoa.r.s.e voice:
”Ah, you wicked bad ones, I thought you were lost! I thought the kidnappers had taken you away for ever.”
”Oh, we are too big for that!” cried Bunny, ”and you need not be in such a rage, Sophie, we only went up in the lift, as Mervyn wanted to see what it was like;” and she walked past the maid with a scornful toss of her little head.
”I am very sorry, Sophie, indeed I am,” said Mervyn gently; ”I did not know we had so far to go. I am sorry you thought we were lost.”
”Ah! much I care whether you are sorry or not,” cried the angry maid. ”It will be like Mademoiselle Bunny's sorrow--it will last one minute--and then off to some more naughty things,” and with a push and a slap Sophie drove the two children on before her, over the bridge and away home to Holly Lodge.
”And now,” she cried as they reached the hall door, ”I will march you both up to Miss Kerr, and see what she will do with you. Some punishment should be given to you, and I don't know what to do.”
”Oh, very well!” said Bunny, ”we'll go and tell Miss Kerr ourselves.
You need not come with us, we don't want you at all. Come along, Mervyn;” and taking the little boy by the hand, she dragged him up the stairs after her.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Chapter decoration.]
CHAPTER VII.
IN MISS KERR'S ROOM.
When the two children reached Miss Kerr's bed-room, they found the door shut, and feeling quite certain that she was there, they knocked gently, and then stood very still upon the mat, expecting every moment to hear her voice calling to them to go in.
”Dear Miss Kerr,” said Bunny at last, as, growing impatient at the delay, she put her little mouth to the key-hole and tried very hard to make herself heard within the room, ”Mervyn and I want to tell you something, so please, please, open the door and let us in.”
But to her surprise she received no answer, and becoming more and more cross and impatient, she rattled the handle as noisily as possible in order to attract Miss Kerr's attention.
”I can't make out why she doesn't speak to us,” said Mervyn in a whisper. ”I think she must be asleep.”
”Asleep!” exclaimed Bunny indignantly. ”She isn't a baby, and she isn't ill, so why should she be asleep at this time of the day?”
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