Electronic Book page

Pray sit down
on this sofa. Your maid, I presume, Miss Gourlay?"
"Yes," replied Lucy; "and a faithful creature has she proved to me, Mrs.
Nor--" but I beg your pardon, my dear madam; how am I--oh, yes, Mrs.
Mainwaring!"
"Nancy," said the latter, "take this young woman with you, and make her
comfortable. You seem exhausted. Miss Gourlay; shall I get some tea?"
"Thank you, Mrs. Nor--Mainwaring, no; we have had a hasty cup of tea in
Dublin. But if it will not be troublesome, I should like to go to bed
for a time."
Mrs. Mainwaring flew out of the room, and called Nancy Gallaher. "Nancy,
prepare a bed immediately for this lady; her maid, too, will probably
require rest. Prepare a bed for both."
She was half in and half out of the room as she spoke; then returning
with a bunch of keys dangling from her finger, she glanced at Miss
Gourlay with that slight but delicate and considerate curiosity which
arises only from a friendly warmth of feeling--but said nothing.
"My dear Mrs. Mainwaring," said Lucy, who understood her look, "I feel
that I have acted very wrong.


Pages:
550 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 559 560 561 562 563 564 565 566 567 568 569 570 571 572 573 574