Why don't you go ?" asked the girl at random.
"Oh, I have not been invited." Mrs.Nailor smiled amiably.

"Perhaps, you will let me go with you sometime ?" Alice escaped, and ran up-stairs, though she was eager to go out on the porch.

However, it would serve him right to punish him by staying away until she was sent for, and she could not go with Mrs.Nailor's cat-eyes on her.
She found her mother seated at a table writing busily.

Mrs.Yorke only glanced up and said, "So you are back?
Hope you had a pleasant time ?" and went on writing.
Alice gazed at her with a startled look in her eyes.

She had such a serious expression on her face.
"What are you doing ?" She tried to speak as indifferently as she could.
"Writing to your father." The pen went on busily.
"What is the matter?
Is papa ill?
Has anything happened ?" "No; nothing has happened.