"I don't want no visitors."
"Amelia!"
Jane laughed unconcernedly.
"I shouldn't either," she said, looking at Amelia in a most friendly manner. "I quite sympathise with you. You think I am going to meddle and interfere?"
"Yes."
"You think I am going to poke into the kitchen and do things for your mistress that you have been in the habit of doing?"
"Yes," said Amelia, surprised at Jane's intuition.
"Well, you may make your mind quite easy on that score. To begin with, I am far too lazy to interfere. I like people to work for me if they will. And I think it would be a mean thing to do when you have served Mrs. Westover so faithfully and lovingly. I shall not usurp your place." Jane's voice was most gentle now, full of sympathy and kindliness. "But if you will allow me, I will help you with my bed and dust my room. I shall make a little extra work, of course, and I am sure you must have a great deal to do."
Amelia wavered, rocked about with indecision for a moment, and was won.
"Thank you, miss, it's very good of you," was all she seemed able to say. And as a relief to her feelings she slapped the tortoise, picked up Jane's gloves from the ground and returned to her kitchen.