Nurse was in readiness to open the hall door, with a look of extreme displeasure on her countenance.
"I niver seen the like iv thim English," she said, indignantly. "Hesther was washin' the steps whin she come up—'Is Miss Vernon at home?' ses she. 'Yes,' ses Hesther; 'I'll call Mrs. O'Toole.' An' away she runs for me; but me lady couldn't wait, I suppose; so in she walks widout—'By yer lave, or with yer lave,' instead of waiting to be announced like a christian."
"No matter, nurse, she brought me good news," replied Kate.
"Well, my love, I congratulate you, that your pious wishes are likely to be accomplished," said the Colonel, as she returned to the room. "This Mrs. Storey appears to be a good sort of woman."
"Oh, I am delighted with her! and no wonder; she has rekindled the almost extinct flame of hope; I do trust I may succeed with her friend. Do come out, dearest grandpapa, I feel too glad to stay in the house."
The next day was Tuesday, and Kate, escorted by Mrs. O'Toole and Cormac, started at an early hour—to keep Mrs. Potter's appointment—as they had to explore their way—this they accomplished without much difficulty; and, leaving nurse and Cormac to wait her return, Kate followed a rather seedy man-servant, in plain clothes, up a dingy stair-case, into a very handsomely-furnished, but uninhabited-looking drawing-room, with richly-bound books, geometrically placed on round tables, vases filled with wax flowers, alabaster Cupids, and a grand, rosewood piano. She had hardly glanced at all this finery, when the door was opened hastily, and a fat and rather red-faced woman, her hair done up into little round, flat curls, secured with pins, who breathed audibly, after mounting the stairs, came quickly into the room.
"Ah, I beg pardon," she involuntarily exclaimed, as Kate's slight, elegant figure met her eye; "I understood Miss Vernon was here."
"I am Miss Vernon," replied Kate, quietly.
"Oh!" or, as she pronounced it, 'ho,' "indeed! then will you just step down to the front parlour? that stupid man did not know who you were."
"Indeed!"