only pray the
Lord to give it thee. Be thy bags packed up?"

"Ay," said Jenny, rather sulkily.

"And all ready to set forth?"

"There's just a few little things to see to yet."

"Best go and see to them, then."

Mrs Lavender knitted quietly on, and Jenny shut the door with a little
more of a slam than it quite needed, and ran up to her own room, where
she slept with her elder sister.

"Jenny, thy bags are not locked," said her sister, as she came in.

"Oh, let be, Kate, do! Grandmother's been at me with a whole heap of
her old saws, till I'm worn out. I wish nobody had ever spoke one of
'em."

"What's the matter?"

"Oh, she's at me about Robin Featherstone: wants me to give up keeping
company with him, and all that. Tom Fenton's her pattern man, and a
pretty pattern he is. I wouldn't look at him if there wasn't another
man in Staffordshire. Robin's a gentleman, and Tom's a clown."

"I don't see how you are to give up Robin, when you are going into the
very house where he lives."

"Of course not. 'Tis all rubbish! I wish old women would hold their
tongues. I'm not going to Bentley Hall to sit mewed up in my mistress'
chamber, turning up the whites of my eyes, and singing Psalms through my
nose. I mean to lead a jolly life there, I can tell you, for all
Grandmother. It really is too bad of old folks, that can't knock about
and enjoy their lives, to pen up young maids like so many sheep. I
shall never be young but once, and I want some pleasure in my life."

"All right," said Kate lightly. "I scarce think they turn up the whites
of their eyes at Bentley Hall. Have your fling, Jenny--only don't go
_too_ far, look you."

"I can take care of myself, thank you," returned Jenny scornfully.
"Lock that striped bag for me, Kate, there's a darling; there's father
calling downstairs."

And Jenny ran off, to cry softly in a high treble to Kate, a minute
afterwards--"Supper!"

Supper was spread in the large kitchen of the farmhouse. Jenny's father
was a tenant farmer, his landlord being Colonel Lane, of Bentley Hall,
and it was to be maid (or, as they said then, "lady's woman") to the
Colonel's sister, that Jenny was going to the Hall. Mrs Jane was much
younger than her brother, being only six years older than Jenny herself.
In the present day she would be called Miss Jane, but in 1651 only
little girls were termed _Miss_. Jenny had always been rather a pet,
both with Mrs Lane and her daughter; fo