CHAPTER XLIV.
THE LONG LOOKED-FOR RETURNED.
"Miss Gertrude," said Mrs. Prime, opening the parlour-door, putting her head cautiously in, looking round, and then advancing with a stealthy pace—"my! how busy you are! Lor's sakes alive, if you an't rippin' up them great curtains of Mrs. Graham's for the wash! I wouldn't be botherin' with 'em, Miss Gertrude; she won't be here this fortnight, and Mrs. Ellis will have time enough."
"Oh, I have nothing else to do, Mrs. Prime; it's no trouble." Then, looking up pleasantly at the old cook, she added, "It seems very cosy for us all to be at home—doesn't it?"
"It seems beautiful!" answered Mrs. Prime; "and I can't help thinking how nice it would be if we could all live on jist as we are now, without no more intrusions."
Gertrude smiled and said, "Everything looks as it used to in old times, when I first came here. I was quite a child then," continued she, with a sigh.
"Gracious me! What are you now?" said Mrs. Prime. "For mercy's sake, Miss Gertrude, don't you begin to think about growin' old. There's nothin' like feelin' young to keep young. There's Miss Patty Pace, now——"
"I have been meaning to ask after her," exclaimed Gertrude; "is she alive and well yet?"
"She!" replied Mrs. Prime; "Lor', she won't never die! Old women like her, that feel themselves young gals, allers live for ever; but the baker's boy that fetched the loaves this mornin' brought an arrant from her, and she wants to see you the first chance; but I wouldn't hurry either about goin' there or anywhere, Miss Gertrude, till I got rested; for you an't well, you look so kind o' tired out."