“But I can’t afford to live like a lady now,” returned I: “I must be my own maid and my child’s nurse.”
“What signifies!” replied she, in some excitement. “You’ll want somebody to clean and wash, and cook, won’t you? I can do all that; and never mind the wages: I’ve my bits o’ savings yet, and if you wouldn’t take me I should have to find my own board and lodging out of ’em somewhere, or else work among strangers: and it’s what I’m not used to: so you can please yourself, ma’am.” Her voice quavered as she spoke, and the tears stood in her eyes.
“I should like it above all things, Rachel, and I’d give you such wages as I could afford: such as I should give to any servant-of-all-work I might employ: but don’t you see I should be dragging you down with me when you have done nothing to deserve it?”
“Oh, fiddle!” ejaculated she.
“And, besides, my future way of living will be so widely different to the past: so different to all you have been accustomed to—”
“Do you think, ma’am, I can’t bear what my missis can? surely I’m not so proud and so dainty as that comes to; and my little master, too, God bless him!”
“But I’m young, Rachel; I sha’n’t mind it; and Arthur is young too: it will be nothing to him.”
“Nor me either: I’m not so old but what I can stand hard fare and hard work, if it’s only to help and comfort them as I’ve loved like my own bairns: for all I’m too old to bide the thoughts o’ leaving ’em in trouble and danger, and going amongst strangers myself.”
“Then you sha’n’t, Rachel!” cried I, embracing my faithful friend. “We’ll all go together, and you shall see how the new life suits you.”
“Bless you, honey!” cried she, affectionately returning my embrace. “Only let us get shut of this wicked house, and we’ll do right enough, you’ll see.”