Lake had no very high opinion of men or women, gentle or simple.
'She listens, I dare say, the little spy,' said he.
'No, Master Stanley! She's a good little girl.'
'She quite believes her mistress is up stairs, eh?'
'Yes; the Lord forgive me—I'm deceiving her.'
He did not like the tone and look which accompanied this.
'Now, my good old Tamar, you really can't be such an idiot as to fancy there can be any imaginable wrong in keeping that prying little slut in ignorance of that which in no wise concerns her. This is a critical matter, do you see, and if it were known in this place that your young mistress had gone away as she has done—though quite innocently—upon my honour—I think it would blast her. You would not like, for a stupid crotchet, to ruin poor Radie, I fancy.'
'I'm doing just what you both bid me,' said the old woman.
'You sit up stairs chiefly?'
She nodded sadly.