"This afternoon, Rose, when I have finished my work, I'll ask your aunt to let me take you and Robin up the hill to my cousin's garden, and we'll see the little kittens and get some plums off the trees," said Susan a few days after.
Rose clapped her hands with delight.
"So we will. It will be nice. And we shall see you cousin's little baby, and perhaps she'll let me carry it."
And Rose ran away to tell Robin. He came back with her as delighted as possible, jumping about, and turning somersaults.
"I'm not sure yet," said Susan, "but I think mistress will let me go, as I have not been away for two weeks."
Everything seemed certain to the children, and they began making their preparations. Robin got a stick to fight imaginary bullocks on the way, and Rose busied herself in providing a basket for the plums.
Robin, in the midst of his excitement, rushed against his aunt with the stick, and knocked her ankle. She called out sharply, and pulled it from his hand.
"What's that in the house for?" she asked.
"I'm going to take it up to Susan's cousin's garden, to fight bullocks if they touch her, and knock down plums and Rose is going, and Susan too, and perhaps we'll get tea there."
"Hush, Robin," cried Rose in a fright. "You were not to tell."
These unfortunate speeches had their effect. If she had been asked by Susan as a favor, possibly their aunt would have granted the request, though she might have raised objections at first, but being told suddenly they were going, and then that it was a secret, was more than she could bear.
"You think you can make your plans without me, do you? I suppose Susan will soon be mistress in this house altogether. I tell you, no. I shall not allow it. To think of you all racing up to Susan's cousin's house, most certainly not. If she wants to go, she can go by herself another time. I am going out this afternoon, and the house cannot be left, so you get to your sewing, Rose, and, Robin, go outside and play, and just ask me another time before you make your plans."
Of course an unhappy scene followed, and Mrs. Clark was not at all comfortable in her own mind. She knew she had made the children miserable, and though she had the satisfaction of showing her power, as soon as she decided against the little excursion she felt uneasy, though she would by no means change her mind. Therefore it was necessary to give vent to her irritation in a different way.
Rose flung down her basket, and turned away, and, with her temper and impatience rising, cast an angry look at Robin.
"It's just like you," she cried. "You have spoiled it all. I think you might hold your tongue. You might have guessed Aunt would just stop our going, on purpose to — tease us." she was just going to add, but checked herself when she caught sight of her aunt's angry face.
"So you are impertinent, are you?" exclaimed her aunt, and slapping Rose's shoulders, she put them both out of the kitchen.
The child burst into tears, and leaned against the wall in the passage, and Robin, who had been crying bitterly all the while, joined her.
"I am always in trouble," cried Robin, "and I am not happy a bit. I did want to go and fight these bullocks if they touched Susan, and eat plums."
"Hush, Robin, you've done it all," said Rose between her sobs, holding her shoulders. "If you had only been quiet! You make me feel so angry."
"And now you are not friends with me. All the people in this world don't love me," exclaimed Robin, "only Mother. I daresay, Rose, you would like me to die."
Rose drew nearer. Her mother's words sounded in her ears, "Be kind to Robin. Remember he is troublesome, but not a bad boy. Keep him from getting into trouble if you can." So she dropped her angry tone, and said in a little milder voice,
"I'm sure I love you, Robbie, and Susan, too. I only wish you had been quiet."
"So do I now," said the little boy. "Perhaps she'll let us go."
"No, she won't; she just loves to stop us doing things, and she — she — slapped me, Robbie," sobbed his sister.
"Where?" he asked.
"On my shoulder. Do you see a mark?" "I think I see some red. Does it hurt?"
"Not much, but it makes me feel so angry, only I know I ought not to feel that. I tell you, Robbie, I felt as if I could run away from her."
"Oh!" cried Robin, "you'd just starve, Rose. You'd better not."
Susan, who was in the dairy, heard their aunt's angry words. She had seen the children put out of the room, and was coming forward to speak to them when they began their conversation.
"What's the trouble?" she asked now.
In a few minutes the whole story was poured into her ears.
"Well, we cannot go today," she answered. "I am sorry, but Robin knew no better. Another time I must wait till I have permission, and Robin must learn to be quiet. But what was Rose so angry for?"
Rose hung her head.
"Have you asked the Lord to help you to keep your temper, dear?"
"I just thought of it a minute ago, but when Aunt slapped me, it made me so angry."
"Remember One who when He was reviled, reviled not again. Jesus was spit upon, scourged, mocked, and crucified, yet He prayed for the people who were cruel to Him. Now you spoke naughtily when your aunt said you were not to go, didn't you, Rose?"
"I know I did Susan. I wish I hadn't. I wish I could try over again," she said, her eyes filling with tears.
"Be more watchful another time, dear. Ask the Lord Jesus to help you, and if you have done wrong, confess it to Him. You trust Him, don't you, and believe His precious blood cleanses from all sin?"
"Yes, I know it does, now," she answered, with tears in her eyes. "I do love Him, and want to please Him."
"Well, go and tell Him about it, Rose."
The little girl went quietly to her own room, and knelt down, and unburdened her heart to One whose ear is always open to the cry of His little lambs, whose heart always loves them, and whose arm is strong to help. With a light heart she came back, and found Robin hugging Susan, and saying,
"You are my own dear friend, Susan."
"I thought you were the boy whom no one in the world loved."
"I was just in fun, or else cross," said Robin.
They talked about their disappointment now, while Susan was at her work, and decided to be quite quiet and not say a word about it to their aunt, but to try and be good, and go on as usual, but if she spoke to Rose about her "impertinence" that Rose was to tell her she was sorry for being naughty.
They were disappointed, and stifled many a sigh before they could feel reconciled to remaining at home, but Susan said she was sure in a little while they would be allowed to go, if they were good.
Presently Mrs. Clark told Susan, in a short and decided tone, that she was going out, and might not be home to tea, but the house was not to be left, and perhaps another day, when she wanted to go out, she would come and ask her about it herself.
Susan said she was very sorry for what had happened, that she had told the children she was going to ask permission, and that Robin, like a child, had mistaken and taken it for granted.
Her mistresses was a little mollified, and said,
"Well tomorrow, if it is a suitable day you may go then."
"May I take the children?" she asked.
"I can't see what pleasure you can find having them hanging about, but I'll think it over, and see how they behave till then."