She laid her hand upon it.
"I quite understand!"
He adjusted his glasses, and turned over his documents once more.
"Then I think there is nothing more we need trouble you with—oh yes!—one thing—Miss—er—Miss Priday—?"
Priscilla, who during the whole conversation had sat bolt upright on a chair in the corner of the room, neither moving nor speaking, here rose and curtsied.
The lawyer looked at her attentively.
"Priday-Miss Priscilla Priday?"
"Yes, sir—that's me," said Priscilla, briefly.
"Mr. Jocelyn thought very highly of you, Miss Friday," he said—"he mentions you in the following paragraph of his will—'I give and bequeath to my faithful housekeeper and good friend, Priscilla Priday, the sum of Two Hundred Pounds for her own personal use, and I desire that she shall remain at Briar Farm for the rest of her life. And that, if she shall find it necessary to resign her duties in the farm house, she shall possess that cottage on my estate known as Rose Cottage, free of all charges, and be allowed to live there and be suitably and comfortably maintained till the end of her days. And,—er—pray don't distress yourself, Miss Priday!"
For Priscilla was crying, and making no effort to hide her emotion.