“Good patience, ma’am!” exclaimed the girl when she entered the chamber and found the bed undisturbed, and her mistress in the dress of the evening before. “Surely ma’am, you have never been sitting up all night?”
“I have not been in bed, as you see, Pina. Make me a fire as quickly as you can, for I am very cold. And then bring me some warm water and get me a cup of tea,” said Drusilla.
When all these orders had been obeyed, and the unhappy young wife had refreshed herself with a wash, a change of dress and a cup of hyson, and reclined at rest in her easy chair, she said to her handmaid:
“Pina—go and bring your brother here, I wish to question him in your presence.”
The girl started at this unusual order, and looked alarmed, as if she supposed that herself and her brother were to be arraigned upon some grave charge.
But her mistress perceived her fears and hastened to relieve them by saying:
“Don’t be afraid, Pina; there is nobody in fault that I know of. I only wish to question your brother upon a circumstance that occurred last night. Now go at once and fetch him here.”
The girl left the room and went to find her fellow servant, who was in the kitchen eating his breakfast.
“You must just leave off gormandizing this minute and come up to her directly. Something’s up; but I don’t know what it is. She says she wants to question you about what happened last night, whatever that was, if you know, for I don’t. I hope you’ve not been having unproper company, and misbehaving of yourself up there in the stable loft,” said Pina, breathlessly, as she stood before her brother.
Leo, with his mouth full and his eyes starting, stared at his sister in stupefaction.