'Then she withheld from you "no good thing," hey? while she kept from you nearly everything you liked.'
There was silence all round the table. Then Miss Baines spoke again.
'But, ma'am, that old woman has not a fever, and she don't get any nice things to eat.'
'It is quite likely she enjoys her meals more than you do yours. But granting she does not, are you the physician to know what is good for her?'
'She does not want any physician, ma'am.'
A laugh ran round the table, and Miss Fairbairn let the subject drop.
When dinner was nearly over, however, she remarked:
'You want light for your practising. I will excuse you, Miss
Gainsborough, if you wish to go.'
Esther went, very willingly. Then Miss Fairbairn held one of her little discourses, with which now and then she endeavoured to edify her pupils.
'Young ladies, I am going to ask you to take pattern by Miss Gainsborough. Did you notice her movements when she went to do that little errand for me?'
Silence. Then murmurs of assent were heard, not very loud, nor enthusiastic. Miss Fairbairn did not expect that, nor care. What she wanted was to give her lesson.