But Christabel saw by Susan's face, and heard in the shaken voice
with which she took her turn in the reading, that she could not have
given her mind to her tasks, and did not need them to keep her out of
mischief. It would have been cruel to have required her to sit down
to them just then, and her governess was glad to be able to excuse
her on account of the packing-up. All her things and Sam's must be
got ready in case of an immediate start, and she was sent up to the
nursery to take care of the little ones, while Nurse and Mary mended,
ironed, and packed.
To be sure Nurse Freeman made poor Susan unnecessarily unhappy by
being sure that it was all the fault of the London doctors; but she
was a kind, tender old woman, and her petting was a great comfort to
the poor girl. What did her most good, however, was sitting quite
quiet with the little ones while they were asleep, and all alone; it
seemed to rest and compose her, and she always loved to be in charge
of them. Poor child! she might soon have to be their little mother!
She was able to play with them when they awoke, and cheered herself
up with their pretty ways, and by finding how quickly Baby was
learning to walk.
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