And just as we stood up to depart, the white high-cauled cap and large sallow features of old L'Amour peeped in at the door.
'Lawk! what brings you here?' cried Milly, nearly as much startled as I at the intrusion.
'What brings you here, miss?' whistled L'Amour through her gums.
'We're looking where Charke cut his throat,' replied Milly.
'Charke the devil!' said the old woman, with an odd mixture of scorn and fury. ''Tisn't his room; and come ye out of it, please. Master won't like when he hears how you keep pulling Miss Maud from one room to another, all through the house, up and down.'
She was gabbling sternly enough, but dropped a low courtesy as I passed her, and with a peaked and nodding stare round the room, the old woman clapped the door sharply, and locked it.
'And who has been a talking about Charke—a pack o lies, I warrant. I s'pose you want to frighten Miss Maud here' (another crippled courtesy) 'wi' ghosts and like nonsense.'
'You're out there: 'twas she told me; and much about it. Ghosts, indeed! I don't vally them, not I; if I did, I know who'd frighten me,' and Milly laughed.
The old woman stuffed the key in her pocket, and her wrinkled mouth pouted and receded with a grim uneasiness.
'A harmless brat, and kind she is; but wild—wild—she will be wild.'