Nannie looked sarcastic.
“Under God, I may have done a good work,” continued her mistress, who was unused to having her words disregarded. The leavening of self in them took nothing from their sincerity.
“That’s as may be,” replied Nannie, with her nose in the air.
Mrs. Walters looked at her as one might look at a child who has pitted its opinion against that of an elder.
“Williams is leading a new life. He has put the old man from him.”
“Yes, he! he! And he’ve taken a young woman in ’is place,” leered Nannie, whose flippancy occasionally got the better of her awe of Anne.
“What do you mean?” inquired her companion.
“Ye can’t see everything that happens in the world from Masterhouse,” she replied enigmatically.
“I don’t know what you mean by talking like that,” said Anne, drawing herself up.
“There’s some that’s mighty different to what they look. I could tell a thing or two about that Williams if I liked. Not that it’s for me to speak,” said the old woman.