“Miss Rachel isn’t meant for poverty,” continued Nancy, “and what’s more, I’m very sure Miss Kitty isn’t either; so, ma’am, I’d like to be sure whether they are to have it or not; and a question I’d dearly like to have answered is this: If the middle-aged man, Mr. Rupert Lovel, and his son have a claim to Avonsyde, why don’t they make it? Anything is better than suspense, say I. Why don’t we know the worst and have done with it?”
“Why, Nancy, I thought I had told you everything. Mr. Lovel won’t make a claim until he can make a perfect claim. The fact is, some of his credentials are lost.”
“The toast is done, ma’am. May I make bold to ask what you mean by that? You had better eat your toast while it is hot and crisp, Mrs. Lovel. The good gentleman from Australia hasn’t to go to the old ladies with a character in his hand, like a servant looking for a situation?”
“No, no. Nancy; but he has to bring letters and other tokens to prove his son’s descent, to prove that his son is a true Lovel of Avonsyde of the elder branch, and unfortunately Mr. Lovel has lost some valuable letters and an old silver tankard which has been for hundreds of years in the family, and which was taken from Avonsyde by the Rupert Lovel who quarreled with his relations.”
Mrs. Level’s head was bent over her lace, and she never noticed how red Nancy’s face grew at this moment, nor how she almost dropped the steaming kettle with which she was about to replenish the tea-pot.
“Oh, my word!” she exclaimed hastily. “It seems as if toast and kettle and all was turned spiteful to-night. There’s that boiling water flowed over on my hand. Never mind, ma’am—it ain’t nothing. What was it you were saying was lost, ma’am?”
“Letters, Nancy, and a tankard.”
“Oh, letters and a tankard. And what may a tankard be like?”
“This was an old-fashioned silver can, with the Lovel coat of arms and the motto of their house, ‘Tyde what may,’ graved on one side. Why, Nancy, you look quite pale.”
“It’s the burn, ma’am, that smarts a little. And so the silver can is lost? Dear, dear, what a misfortune; and the fine young gentleman can’t get the place noway without it. Is that so or not, ma’am?”