It sounded very grand. Miss Kezia left the room.
She went upstairs to the Stronghold to speak to Nell. Nell was seated at the table, writing. She started up guiltily as Miss Kezia entered the room.
"You all appear to be very busy writing this morning," Miss Kezia said crossly.
For some reason or other this seemed to amuse Nell considerably. She began to laugh.
"Oh, are they writing, too? I wonder—" She broke off, and went on laughing.
"Eileen, I am constantly obliged to chide you for your frivolity. You laugh at nothing; or, at least, I can see no cause for laughter?"
There was a pronounced query at the end of her sentence. Nell strove to answer it.
"Well, you see—you see—we're writing—private letters—at least, I am, and now you say—so I suppose they are, too—you see—oh, I c-c-can't help it, it's s-so f-f-funny!"
Miss Kezia gave the message she had come to deliver; she gave it in an austere voice, and with a face of disgust. The she went.
"Oh, I'm a w-worm!" Nell chuckled, crawling beneath the sofa to speak to James. "But, oh, Jimmy, I feel all mad these days! If—if it comes to nothing—but it won't! it won't! Oh, Jimmy!"