And what are you doing here ? '' I fell back into my chair , speechless . My very first impulse was to put up my hand and cover the gold watch . Alberta had dropped the carving knife and was trying desperately to get the gold bracelet off under the table . In a flash we had realized our mistake and its awfulness . As for me , I felt positively frightened ; Margaret Hannah 's warnings of old had left an ineffaceable impression . Elizabeth rose to the occasion . Rising to the occasion is another of Elizabeth 's specialties . Besides , she was not hampered by the tingling consciousness that she was wearing a gift that had not been intended for her . `` We have made a mistake , I fear , '' she said , with a dignity which I appreciated even in my panic , `` and we are very sorry for it . We were invited to spend Christmas with Mr. and Mrs. Norman Young . When we got off the train we were given a letter from them stating that they were summoned away but telling us to go to their house and make ourselves at home . The stationmaster told us that this was the house , so we came here . We have never been in Monkshead , so we did not know the difference . Please pardon us . '' I had got off the watch by this time and laid it on the table , unobserved , as I thought . Alberta , not having the key of the bracelet , had not been able to get it off , and she sat there crimson with shame . As for Uncle William , there was positively a twinkle in his eye . He did not look in the least ogreish . `` Well , it has been quite a fortunate mistake for me , '' he said .
`` I came home expecting XXXXX find a cold house and a raw dinner , and I find this instead .
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