h. Fanny felt,
however, that she would neither scold her, ridicule her, nor refuse to
listen: to Lady Cashel, therefore, at last, she went for assistance.

Her ladyship always passed the morning, after breakfast, in a
room adjoining her own bed-room, in which she daily held deep
debate with Griffiths, her factotum, respecting household affairs,
knitting-needles, and her own little ailments and cossetings.
Griffiths, luckily, was a woman of much the same tastes as her
ladyship, only somewhat of a more active temperament; and they were
most stedfast friends. It was such a comfort to Lady Cashel to have
some one to whom she could twaddle!

The morning after Lord Kilcullen's departure Fanny knocked at her door,
and was asked to come in. The countess, as usual, was in her easy
chair, with the knitting-apparatus in her lap, and Griffiths was seated
at the table, pulling about threads, and keeping her ladyship awake by
small talk.

"I'm afraid I'm disturbing you, aunt," said Fanny, "but I wanted to
speak to you for a minute or two. Good morning, Mrs Griffiths."

"Oh, no! you won't disturb me, Fanny. I was a little busy this morning,
for I wanted to finish this side of the--You see what a deal I've
done,"--and the countess lugged up a whole heap of miscellaneous
worsted from a basket just under her arm--"and I must finish it by
lady-day [25], or I shan't get the other done, I don't know when. But
still, I've plenty of time to attend to you."

[FOOTNOTE 25: lady-day--Annunciation Day, March 25]

"Then I'll go down, my lady, and see about getting the syrup boiled,"
said Griffiths. "Good morning, Miss Wyndham."

"Do; but mind you come up again immediately--I'll ring the bell when
Miss Wyndham is going; and pray don't leave me alone, now."

"No, my lady--not a moment," and Griffiths escaped to the syrup.

Fanny's heart beat quick and hard, as she sat down on the sofa,
opposite to her aunt. It was impossible for any one to be afraid of
Lady Cashel, there was so very little about her that could inspire awe;
but then, what she had to say was so very disagreeable to say! If she
had had to tell her tale out loud, merely to the empty easy chair, it
would have been a dreadful undertaking.

"Well, Fanny, what can I do for you? I'm sure you look very nice in
your bombazine; and it's very nicely made up. Who was it made it for
you?"

"I got it down from Dublin, aunt; from Foley's."

"Oh, I remember; so you told me. Griffi