Then she laughed and glanced at her watch . `` I 'll do it -- just for fun and a little pity . It 's half-past two , and Peter wo n't be home till four at the earliest . I 'll have a good hour to do it in , and still make my escape in good time . Nobody will ever know ; nobody can see me here . '' Nancy went in , threw off her hat , and seized a broom . The first thing she did was to give the kitchen a thorough sweeping . Then she kindled a fire , put a kettle full of water on to heat , and attacked the dishes . From the number of them she rightly concluded that Peter had n't washed any for at least a week . `` I suppose he just uses the clean ones as long as they hold out , and then has a grand wash-up , '' she laughed . `` I wonder where he keeps his dish-towels , if he has any . '' Evidently Peter had n't any . At least , Nancy could n't find any . She marched boldly into the dusty sitting-room and explored the drawers of an old-fashioned sideboard , confiscating a towel she found there . As she worked , she hummed a song ; her steps were light and her eyes bright with excitement . Nancy was enjoying herself thoroughly , there was no doubt of that . The spice of mischief in the adventure pleased her mightily . The dishes washed , she hunted up a clean , but yellow and evidently long unused tablecloth out of the sideboard , and proceeded to set the table and get Peter 's tea . She found bread and butter in the pantry , a trip to the cellar furnished a pitcher of cream , and Nancy recklessly heaped the contents of her strawberry jug on Peter 's plate . The tea was made and set back to keep warm .
And , as a finishing touch , Nancy ravaged the old neglected garden and set a huge bowl XXXXX crimson roses in the centre of the table .
as at if into of on that till to with