"Oh, Mrs. Corbet, I have used you shameful, and yet you have saved my life. I do believe that nasty creature would have killed me before I could get away. But I beg your pardon for treating you so—that indeed, I do; and I will never do it again, if you will only forgive me!"
"I forgive you with all my heart!" said I. "But don't sit there on the wet grass, or you will get a fever, and that will be as bad as the bull."
I helped her to rise, and finding that she really trembled so she could hardly stand, I gave her my salts and my arm to lean on back to the hall. She found her voice presently and began to pour out her woes. She hated the place. It was not what she had expected. She was worked almost to death, and my lady was taken up with that grinning French woman, and had never a good word for poor Wilson, as had served her so long.
I tried to stop her, but I might as well have tried to stop the Highbeck at flood time. At last the worst of her troubles came out. She was so afraid. She heard such dreadful noises at night, like people walking and whispering in the entry and in the room itself, and cries and groans that seemed to come from far down, and I don't know what all. She slept with a Bible under her pillow, but it did no good. The noises came all the same.
"Did I think a Prayer-Book would be better?" Her terror was so real, that I could not but be sorry for her.
"Neither Bible nor Prayer-Book will do you any good by lying under your pillow!" said I. "They are not made to be used like adder stones or rowan twigs. Study your Bible and Prayer-Book, confess your sins, ask Divine protection, and then you will not be afraid of the noises the wind makes in this old pile."
"But, I can't!" sobbed Wilson. "I am not good like you and Miss Leighton, and I have done so many wicked things. Oh, I wish I had never left my mother's cottage to wait on a great lady."
The poor thing was really hysterical, so I got her to bed and sent her some lavender and sal volatile by Mary Lee. She was well enough next day, and I fear her penitence had vanished with her fears. However, she was henceforth kind and respectful to me, and did a good deal to make my life more endurable, by checking the insolence of her fellow servants.
Lady Leighton's guests arrived in a day or two, and I recognized among them several persons whom I had seen in Mrs. Thorpe's shop. Lord Bulmer did not present himself, but I heard from Mrs. Wilson, who told me more news than I cared to hear, that he was expected—
"And worse luck, I say!" added Wilson. "I wish he was a thousand miles away! Miss Corbet—" she added, whispering in my ear, "do you tell Miss Leighton to beware of him, and keep out of his way yourself. He is a bad wicked man. He has my poor lady under his thumb, and will make her see sorrow—"