laughing when I saw the look on all your faces! ”
“ But your dress—your hat—they are ruined! ”
“ Lor, what ’ s a few bits of clothes? ” said Jenny largely, “ I dare swear, when you come into your rights, that you ’ ll buy me some others! (And to tell truth, I never cared for this dress above half — it ’ s well enough, but has no dash, to my mind. I prefer something that ’ s trimmed up a bit more. I ’ ve always fancied a cherry - red ... ) But didn ’ t it fall out handsomely? ‘ Is somebody being murdered? ’ the tall fellow calls out as he comes a-running—oh, I could have died laughing, it was all I could do to keep a straight face. And come, now, ain ’ t they a fine pair? I never saw two prettier-looking fellows! With any luck, my dearie, you and me has fixed ourselves up with as handsome a couple of beaux as any young lady could wish for! (Seeing Mr. S., my gentleman friend, isn ’ t calling any more.) Who do you think they are? Is any of your kinsfolk named Fitzjohn? ”
Delphie was obliged to reply that she did not know, and Miss Baggott ’ s further remarks were cut short by the arrival of a pair of maids, who proceeded respectively to kindle and light a fire in the hearth, and to pour hot water into a hip bath.
The warmth of the flames was decidedly grateful, for the room had been as chill as a tomb, and Delphie was beginning to be anxious for Miss Baggott in good earnest.
One of the maids (who both seemed young, timid country girls) then shyly offered to stay and assist Miss with her undressing and bath.
“ Ay, I ’ ll be glad of that! ” said Jenny. “ And do you, ” she said to the other one, “ do you make up the bed—plenty of covers, mind! — and thrust a warming pan atwixt the sheets; then you can bring me up a nice mug of hot negus with a twist of lemon peel in it! ”
Delphie was astonished. Here was Jenny Baggott, whose father had run a laundry, whose mother was a se am stress, conducting herself in this mansion with all the confidence and aplomb of one born to it; while she, Delphie, who had some right to be there, whose mother actually had been born in the house, felt nothing but diffidence, embarrassment, and awkwardness.
However, seeing Jenny so thoroughly prepared to take care of herself, or rather, see that care was taken of her, Delphie said,
“ If you will not dislike it, I think perhaps I should go down now—if you can spare me, Jenny dear? I feel I ought to say everything that is proper to those gentlemen. ”
“ Ay, do that! ” approved Jenny, who, stripped of her sodden green cloth, was just in the act of stepping into the hip bath like a large pink seal. “ Ah! ” She sank into its steaming depths with a sigh of gratification. “ Now ’ s your chance, I reckon, to grab the bull by the horns. So you keep your pluck up, dearie, and don ’ t let yourself be choused out of your rightful due! Never fret your head about me, I ’ ll be as snug as a bee in bugloss! ”
W ith which parting salutation, she closed her right eye and contorted her face in a violent wink, unseen by the maid, who had turned to put more wood on the fire.
Delphie, while in the bedroom, had seized the opportunity to tidy her hair and remove her pelisse, but as she threaded her way back along the endless corridor she regretted the pelisse, for the house was excessively cold. However, all this region seemed uninhabited; she hoped that the occupied rooms might be warmer.
After carefully descending the slippery stairs, she paused at the foot, undecided in which direction to proceed. There were no servants about; and even the aged hounds seemed to have vanished. As she stood hesitating, she heard two voices issuing from an open doorway.
“ How the devil the wench came to do such a totty-headed thing as to fall off a wide bridge into three feet of water passes comprehension! ” said a cool male voice.
“ My dear fellow, it was obviously a hoax! ” replied another,
“ But your dress—your hat—they are ruined! ”
“ Lor, what ’ s a few bits of clothes? ” said Jenny largely, “ I dare swear, when you come into your rights, that you ’ ll buy me some others! (And to tell truth, I never cared for this dress above half — it ’ s well enough, but has no dash, to my mind. I prefer something that ’ s trimmed up a bit more. I ’ ve always fancied a cherry - red ... ) But didn ’ t it fall out handsomely? ‘ Is somebody being murdered? ’ the tall fellow calls out as he comes a-running—oh, I could have died laughing, it was all I could do to keep a straight face. And come, now, ain ’ t they a fine pair? I never saw two prettier-looking fellows! With any luck, my dearie, you and me has fixed ourselves up with as handsome a couple of beaux as any young lady could wish for! (Seeing Mr. S., my gentleman friend, isn ’ t calling any more.) Who do you think they are? Is any of your kinsfolk named Fitzjohn? ”
Delphie was obliged to reply that she did not know, and Miss Baggott ’ s further remarks were cut short by the arrival of a pair of maids, who proceeded respectively to kindle and light a fire in the hearth, and to pour hot water into a hip bath.
The warmth of the flames was decidedly grateful, for the room had been as chill as a tomb, and Delphie was beginning to be anxious for Miss Baggott in good earnest.
One of the maids (who both seemed young, timid country girls) then shyly offered to stay and assist Miss with her undressing and bath.
“ Ay, I ’ ll be glad of that! ” said Jenny. “ And do you, ” she said to the other one, “ do you make up the bed—plenty of covers, mind! — and thrust a warming pan atwixt the sheets; then you can bring me up a nice mug of hot negus with a twist of lemon peel in it! ”
Delphie was astonished. Here was Jenny Baggott, whose father had run a laundry, whose mother was a se am stress, conducting herself in this mansion with all the confidence and aplomb of one born to it; while she, Delphie, who had some right to be there, whose mother actually had been born in the house, felt nothing but diffidence, embarrassment, and awkwardness.
However, seeing Jenny so thoroughly prepared to take care of herself, or rather, see that care was taken of her, Delphie said,
“ If you will not dislike it, I think perhaps I should go down now—if you can spare me, Jenny dear? I feel I ought to say everything that is proper to those gentlemen. ”
“ Ay, do that! ” approved Jenny, who, stripped of her sodden green cloth, was just in the act of stepping into the hip bath like a large pink seal. “ Ah! ” She sank into its steaming depths with a sigh of gratification. “ Now ’ s your chance, I reckon, to grab the bull by the horns. So you keep your pluck up, dearie, and don ’ t let yourself be choused out of your rightful due! Never fret your head about me, I ’ ll be as snug as a bee in bugloss! ”
W ith which parting salutation, she closed her right eye and contorted her face in a violent wink, unseen by the maid, who had turned to put more wood on the fire.
Delphie, while in the bedroom, had seized the opportunity to tidy her hair and remove her pelisse, but as she threaded her way back along the endless corridor she regretted the pelisse, for the house was excessively cold. However, all this region seemed uninhabited; she hoped that the occupied rooms might be warmer.
After carefully descending the slippery stairs, she paused at the foot, undecided in which direction to proceed. There were no servants about; and even the aged hounds seemed to have vanished. As she stood hesitating, she heard two voices issuing from an open doorway.
“ How the devil the wench came to do such a totty-headed thing as to fall off a wide bridge into three feet of water passes comprehension! ” said a cool male voice.
“ My dear fellow, it was obviously a hoax! ” replied another,
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