“Gertrude Lorimer? Oh, I was there to-day, and I don’t like the look of her. I never saw a girl who tried harder to do what was expected of her, and to rise to the needs of the occasion; but she hasn’t got it in her, and she can’t do it. Mrs. Lorimer is in bed, and her husband ought to be; the boy Patsey has got a bad chill and is in bed too. Those children will go bathing when they are hot, in the icy cold springs on the clearing, and they always are getting chills,” he answered, with a disapproving shake of his head, and was about to ride away. But Nell had not done with him yet.
“Could you—would you mind looking round for some work for me to do? Mrs. Munson will soon be well enough to spare me now, and I have nowhere to go. I am very strong, and I can do outdoor work, or anything rough,” she said, flushing from sheer nervousness, lest he should ask her questions difficult to answer.
“I will see what I can do. Don’t they treat you kindly here?” he asked, with a jerk of his head towards the house.
“Oh yes; it isn’t that. But I came without being asked, and so, as soon as I can be spared, I would rather move on. Can’t you see that I must?” she said earnestly.
He laughed at this; then said in a graver tone, “Well, have patience until I come again; I shall be this way in a week, I dare say. Meanwhile, I will talk to Mrs. Shaw, and we will see what can be done for you. In any case, you can’t be spared from here until Mrs. Munson is able to leave her bed, you know.”
“That won’t be very long, for she talks of getting up to-morrow,” Nell replied, drawing down the corners of her mouth, for she was clear sighted enough to see that Mrs. Munson, able to get about the house, would be a person to be reckoned with.
“Ah, I shouldn’t be surprised if she does, for she is one of the very tough sort. You must humour her as much as possible, and she will get better all the sooner.”
Nell went back to the house with a flutter of hope at her heart. Perhaps when the doctor came again he would be able to tell her of some one in need of a strong girl who was rather ignorant. Her thirst for knowledge of all sorts made her value her own attainments at a very low figure, although in reality she was not nearly so ignorant in matters domestic as she supposed.
The next morning she commenced a very thorough cleaning of the farmhouse. Starting with the loft where Giles slept, she routed out the dust, scrubbing and scouring with such zeal and energy that Mrs. Munson held up her hands in amazement, and the silent Mr. Bailey stared at her more admiringly than ever.
When the house had been cleaned to her mind, and the clothes all washed, she made a great batch of bread, and was taking the last loaf from the oven when the doctor arrived, two days before he was expected.