She had feared that when they got home he would be gone, the more so that Ellen, just as if she was doing it on purpose, had lingered aggravatingly long over each small purchase.
"Here's Joe come to ask if he can take Daisy out for a walk," blurted out Bunting.
"My mother says as how she'd like you to come to tea, over at Richmond," said Chandler awkwardly, "I just come in to see whether we could fix it up, Miss Daisy." And Daisy looked imploringly at her stepmother.
"D'you mean now--this minute ?" asked Mrs.Bunting tartly.
"No, o' course not"-- Bunting broke in hastily.

"How you do go on, Ellen!" "What day did your mother mention would be convenient to her ?" asked Mrs.Bunting, looking at the young man satirically.
Chandler hesitated.

His mother had not mentioned any special day -- in fact, his mother had shown a surprising lack of anxiety to see Daisy at all.

But he had talked her round.
"How about Saturday ?" suggested Bunting.

"That's Daisy's birthday.
'Twould be a birthday treat for her to go to Richmond, and she's going back to Old Aunt on Monday." "I can't go Saturday," said Chandler disconsolately.