As the door closed on Lilac, the news burst forth from Mrs Greenways in such a torrent that it was difficult at first to follow, but at length she managed to make clear to her astonished hearers all that had passed between herself and Mrs Leigh. It was this: A lady staying at the Rectory had seen Lilac at the concert, and asked whom she was. Whereupon, hearing her history and her present occupation at Orchards Farm, she made the following suggestion. She wanted a second dairymaid, and was greatly pleased with Lilac’s appearance and neat dress. Would Mrs Leigh find out whether her friends would like her to take such a situation? She would give her good wages, and raise them if she found her satisfactory. “It’s a great opportunity for a child like Lilac,” Mrs Leigh had said to Mrs Greenways; “but I really think from what I hear of her that she is quite fit to take such a place.”
“Well, as to that,” said Mr Greenways slowly when his wife paused for breath, “I suppose she is. If she can manage the dairy alone here, she can do it with someone over her there.”
“Now I wonder who could ’a told Mrs Leigh that Lilac made our butter,” said Mrs Greenways; “somehow or other that child gets round everyone with her quiet ways.”
“Most likely that interfering old Joshua Snell,” said Bella, “or Peter maybe, or Ben. They all think no end of Lilac.”
“Well, I don’t see myself what they find in her,” said Mrs Greenways; “though she’s a good child enough and useful in her way. I should miss her now I expect; though, of course,” with a glance at her husband, “she wouldn’t leave us, not so long as we wanted her.”
“That’s for her to say,” said the farmer. “I’m not going to take a chance like that out of her mouth. She’s a good little gal and a credit to her mother, and it’s only fair and right she should choose for herself. Go or stay, I won’t have a word said to her. ’Tain’t every child of her age as has an offer like that, and she’s deserved it.”
“And who taught her all she knows?” said Mrs Greenways wrathfully. “Who gave her a home when she wanted one, and fed and kep’ her? And now as she’s just beginning to be a bit of use, she’s to take herself off at the first chance! I haven’t common patience with you, Greenways, when you talk like that. It’s all very well for you; and I s’pose you’re ready to pay for a dairymaid in her place. But I know this: If Lilac’s got a drop of gratitude in her, and a bit of proper feeling, she’ll think first of what she owes to her only relations living.”
“Well, you ought to ’a told her how useful she was if you wanted her to know it,” said Mr Greenways. “You’ve always gone on the other tack and told her she was no good at all. I shouldn’t blame her if she wanted to try if she could please other folks better.”
There was so much truth in this, that in spite of Mrs Greenways’ anger it sank deeply into her mind. Why had she not made more of Lilac? What should she do, if the child, with the consent of her uncle and encouraged by Mrs Leigh, were to choose to leave the farm? It was not unlikely, for although she had not been actively unkind to Lilac she had never tried to make her happy at the farm; her jealousy had prevented that. And then, the money—that would be a great temptation; and the offer of it seemed to raise Lilac’s value enormously. In short, now that someone else wanted her, and was willing to pay for her services, she became twice as important in Mrs Greenways’ eyes. One by one the various duties rose before her which Lilac fulfilled, and which would be left undone if she went away. She sat silent for a few minutes in moody thought.
“I didn’t say nothing certain to Mrs Leigh,” she remarked at length, “but I did mention as how we’d never had any thought of Lilac taking service, no more nor Agnetta or Bella.”