“Well, go then, and don’t be late. And be sure you come home with the Shaws’ Sarah,” said Miss Elliott.
“They are late,” said Will. “I am afraid I cannot wait for dinner. I promised to be with Doctor D at seven.”
They went down-stairs together. Nelly remonstrated, with great earnestness against Will’s “putting himself off with bread and cheese, instead of dinner.”
“Though you need care the less about it, that the dinner’s spoiled already. The fowls werena much to begin with. It needs sense and discretion to market, as well as to do most things, and folk that winna come home at the right hour, must content themselves with things overdone, or else in the dead thraw.”
“I am very sorry Will should lose his dinner,” said Graeme; “but they cannot be long in coming now.”
“There’s no saying. They may meet in with folk that may keep them to suit their ain convenience. It has happened before.”
More than once, when Fanny had been out with her mother, they had gone for Arthur and dined at Grove house, without giving due notice at home, and the rest, after long waiting, had eaten their dinner out of season. To have a success in her department rendered vain by careless or culpable delay, was a trial to Nelly at any time. And if Mrs Grove had anything to do with causing it, the trial was all the greater.
For Nelly—to use her own words—had no patience with that “meddlesome person.” Any interference on her part in household matters, was considered by her a reflection on the housekeeping of her young ladies before Mrs Arthur came among them, and was resented accordingly. All hints, suggestions, recipes, or even direct instructions from her, were utterly ignored by Nelly, when it could be done without positive disobedience to Miss Graeme or Mrs Elliott. If direct orders made it necessary for her to do violence to her feelings to the extent of availing herself of Mrs Grove’s experience, it was done under protest, or with an open incredulousness as to results, at the same time irritating and amusing.
She had no reason to suppose that Mrs Grove had anything to do with her vexation to-night, but she chose to assume it to be so, and following Graeme into the dining-room, where Will sat contentedly eating his bread and cheese, she said,—
“As there is no counting on the time of their home-coming, with other folks’ convenience to consult, you had best let me bring up the dinner, Miss Graeme.”