The winter was miserable. Sara was sent outside in the worst weather. There were days when she had to walk through snow. There were worse days when the snow melted into muddy slush. Those were days when the windows of the Large family's house looked especially cozy. The study where Mr. Carrisford sat glowed with warmth and color too.
Meanwhile Sara's attic was too dreary for words. Gray clouds hung low over the skylight. There were no sunsets. The servants in the kitchen were miserable too, and that made them crueler than ever. They treated poor Becky like a slave.
One cold, rainy day Sara was doing errands. Her shabby clothes and old shoes were soaked. For some reason Miss Minchin had chosen to punish her, so the cook didn't give Sara any lunch.
Still Sara kept doing her errands. She decided to pretend that things were better.
"I'll pretend I'm wearing warm, dry clothes," she said to herself. "I'll pretend I have good shoes and an umbrella. And when I'm near a bakery, I'll find some money. I'll go into that shop and buy six hot buns. Then I'll eat them all up."
Some very odd things happen in this world sometimes.
Just then Sara had to cross the street. The mud was deep and cold. She walked carefully, looking at the ground. Just as she reached the sidewalk, she spied a silver coin. Sara picked it up. Then she looked around. She was right in front of a bakery! A cheerful stout woman was putting a tray of freshly baked buns in the window. They were large, plump, shiny buns with currants in them.
Sara could smell the warm buns. "Oh," she sighed. "Those buns look delicious. With this coin I could buy four of them. But first I must ask the baker if she lost any money."
Sara was about to enter the bakery when she stopped. A small, sad figure sat nearby. It was a beggar girl with big hollow eyes. Her hair was tangled; her face was dirty. She was wrapped in rags and had no shoes.
Sara looked at the girl's red muddy feet. "Princesses always help poor people," she reminded herself. "That girl looks hungrier than I am."
Then she said to the girl, "Are you hungry?"
"Very hungry, miss. I've had nothing to eat all day."
"Wait here," Sara answered. "I'll be right back."
Sara went into the bakery. It smelled warm and delicious. The woman was about to put more hot buns in the window.
"Excuse me," Sara said to the baker. "Did you lose this coin? I found it on the sidewalk."
"No," the woman said. "It was probably there for days. Keep it."
"Then I'd like to buy four buns," Sara answered.
The woman went to the window and put six buns in a bag.
"I can only pay for four," said Sara.
"That's all right," the baker said. "I bet you can eat six. Aren't you hungry?"
"Yes, very hungry." Tears sprang to Sara's eyes at the woman's kindness. "Thank you very much," she whispered. She was about to tell the woman about the girl outside who looked even hungrier than Sara felt. But just then several customers entered the shop.
So Sara thanked the woman again and left the shop. The buns were already warming her hands. She put one in the beggar girl's lap. "Here. Eat this."
"Oh my!" the girl exclaimed as she gobbled up the bun. "This is wonderful!"
Sara handed her three more buns.
"She's starving," Sara thought. "I'm not starving." And with a trembling hand, she gave the girl a fifth bun.
The beggar girl was still eating when Sara turned away. Sara nibbled at the sixth bun, trying to make it last.
It was dark when Sara reached her street. In all the houses, the lights were on. Sara stopped outside the Large family's house. She could see the children gathered around Mr. Large, and a carriage was waiting outside the door. A big suitcase was strapped to the roof.
Sara stepped into the shadows as Mr. Large left the house. She didn't want anyone to see her.
"Good-bye, Papa!" shouted his children. "We'll miss you!"
"I wish I didn't have to go away," he said.
"I hope you find the little girl," said one of Mr. Large's sons. As she hurried away, Sara wondered whom Mr. Large was looking for.
Meanwhile Mr. Large's carriage headed for the station. The train would take him to Moscow. That's where he hoped to find the little lost daughter of Captain Crewe.