Nell of Shorne Mills

"Oh, no, no," said Nell, as brightly as she could.

"And can I help you change, miss? I'm your maid, if you please."

Nell shook her head, still smiling.

"It is all very nice," she said, "and I shall only be a few minutes. I

should like to go over the house," she asked, rather timidly.

"If you ring that bell, miss, I will come at once; and I will tell Mrs.

Hubbard that you want to go round with her," said Burden.

Nell, after the ardently desired "wash and change," sat down by the

window and looked onto the grimy London square, whose trees and grass

were burned brown, and tried to convince herself that she really was

Nell of Shorne Mills; that she really was housekeeper to Lady Wolfer;

that this really was life, and not a fantastic dream. But it was

difficult to do so. Back her mind would travel to Shorne Mills and

to--to Drake.

What had he done and said when he had got her letter? Ah, well, he would

understand; yes, he would understand, and would take it as final. He

would go away, to Lady Luce. They would be married. She would not think.

Providence had sent her work--work to divert her mind and save her from

despair, and she would not look back, would not dwell upon the past.

But how her tender, loving heart ached and throbbed with the memory of

those happy weeks, with the never-to-be-forgotten kisses of the man who

had won her heart, whose face and voice haunted her every moment of the

day.

She sprang to her feet and rang the bell, and Burden came in and led her

along the broad corridors and across the main hall. A middle-aged woman

in a stiff, black dress stood waiting for her, and gave her a stately

bow.

"I am Mrs. Hubbard, miss," she began, rather searchingly; but Nell's

sweet face and smile melted her at once. "I shall be pleased to take you

hover, miss," she commenced, a little less grumpily. "It's a big 'ouse,

and not a heasy one to manage; but per'aps, your ladyship--I beg your

pardon, miss--per'aps you have been used to a big 'ouse?"

"No, indeed," said Nell, whose native shrewdness told her that this was

a woman who had to be conciliated. "I have never lived in anything

bigger than a cottage, and I shall need all your help, Mrs. Hubbard. You

will have to be very patient with me."