It would be worse than waiting to dress." "Then we will all go upstairs and make ourselves decent, and afterwards take the scolding as well as we can," said Harold, leading the way.
Chloe was in Sophy's room, waiting to attend to her child.

She did not fret the little girl with lamentations over her tardiness, but set about adjusting her hair and dress as quickly as possible.
Elsie looked troubled and anxious.
"Papa will be very much vexed, and ashamed of me, too, I am afraid," she said with tears in her eyes.

"And, Sophy, what will your mamma say?
Oh! how I wish I had come in sooner!" "Never mind," replied Sophy; "mamma won't be very angry, and we'll tell her the sun wouldn't shine, and so how were we to know the time." Elsie was ready first, but waited a moment for Sophy, and they went down together.

Her first sensation on entering the room and seeing that her father's chair was empty, was certainly one of relief.

When her eye sought Mrs.Allison's face, it was quite as pleasant as usual.
"You are rather late, little girls," she said in a cheerful tone, "but as you are usually so punctual, we will have to excuse you this once.