While undressing that night, Lotty frankly confessed to Susan that she had been indebted to me, during the whole of our previous stay in the hotel, for as skilful attendance as Susan herself could give. "So I have not missed you a bit, you dear old thing," she concluded with pretended seriousness.
"And who has done for Miss Mechie?" inquired Susan, gravely.
"Mechie? Oh, she does not want any one to do for her," rejoined Charlotte, gayly. "Every one has his own peculiar gift, you know, and Mechie's is a liking and adroitness in waiting upon others; now I have not a bit of ability—to say nothing of fancy—in that way myself, as you know."
"Well," answered Susan, gruffly, "I always find that Miss Mechie requires as much proper attendance as you, or any other young lady, and why should she not? But this I know, that while you are so lazy, Miss Lotty, that you always want to have everything done for you, and do as little as you can in return, Miss Mechie is quite contrariwise to that. And who, pray, minded poor mistress?"
"Oh, I delight in attending to aunty, you know, Susan," I said, "and indeed it was not Charlotte's fault, for I preferred acting as I did for both of them. My only regret was that I could not by any amount of love or labour make dear, darling aunty better and stronger. But, thank God! she is much better."
"Those are very nice feelings, Mechie," observed Lotty, demurely. "You cannot do more amiably than encourage them. I wish I could increase your happiness, dear, by increasing your labour of love. I would set you to dress my hair every morning, only you have such bad taste you would make a perfect figure of me."
"Yes, it is very likely I should or I would," replied I, laughing, "so do not risk it."
"No, that is just what I thought; and—"
"There! don't talk no more nonsense, Miss Charlotte. I can't abide folly, and that you know, miss," interrupted Susan, peremptorily; "I don't object to an innocent cheerfulness, as much as you like, but not—"
"In church?" Charlotte said with pretended surprise, remembering a sharp lecture she had once received from old nurse for irreverent conduct with a young friend during divine service.