hat makes you so uncharitable, Etta? We all know our village nurse too
well to believe that insinuation. If Gladys be only nursed with half the
tenderness that was shown to Janet, I shall be quite content to leave her
under Miss Garston's care.' Then, turning to me, with something of his
old cordial manner, 'Well, it is all settled, is it not, that you remain
here to-night? Is there anything else you wish to say to me?'

'Only one thing,' I replied quietly. 'Will you kindly give orders that
Gladys's little maid, Chatty, waits upon the sick-room? Leah seems to
have taken that office upon herself lately, and Gladys has a great
dislike to her.'

'Really, this passes everything!' exclaimed Miss Darrell angrily. 'What
has my poor Leah done, to be set aside in this way?'

'She is your maid, is she not, Etta?'

'Yes; but, Giles--'

'And Chatty always waits on my sisters. It is certainly not Leah's
business to wait on the turret-room.'

'Leah,' raising his voice a little, as Leah came downstairs with a tray
of linen, 'I want to speak to you a moment. Miss Garston has undertaken
to nurse my sister, and all her orders are to be carried out. Chatty is
to attend to the sick-room for the future; there is no need for you to
neglect your mistress.'

'Very well, sir,' replied the woman civilly; but he did not see the look
she gave me. I had made an enemy of Leah from that moment: neither she
nor her mistress would ever forgive me that slight.

'If Miss Garston has no more orders to give me,' observed Miss Darrell,
with ill-concealed temper, 'I may as well go, for I am rather tired of
this, Giles.' And she followed Leah, and we could hear them whispering
in the little passage leading to the housekeeper's room.

'You must not mind Etta's little show of temper,' remarked Mr. Hamilton
apologetically. 'She is rather put out because Gladys prefers your
nursing. Between ourselves, she is a little too fussy to suit a nervous
invalid; but she is kind-hearted and means well. I was rather sorry for
her just now, but I know how to bring her round.'

'I am no favourite with Miss Darrell,' I returned, wondering secretly at
his blind infatuation for his cousin.

'No; it is easy to see that you do not understand each other. Etta was
not quite fair to you just now. That is why I spoke so decidedly. I will
have no interference with the sick-room: you will have to account to me,
but to no one else.'

I did not venture to raise my eyes. I wa