“Now!” she said in a quieter tone; “go back, Nancy Inman, and speak smoothly to your lord, and put blinkers on your eyes when Baldwin and Keturah sneer at you.”
The mid-day meal had been in progress some minutes when Nancy entered the kitchen, and the girl read in the black looks of each face promise of an impending storm.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” she said, with an indifference that belied her words; “I went further than I thought.”
Baldwin contracted his brow until the pepper-coloured tufts above his eyes pointed straight towards her; but he remained silent and Keturah merely sulked. Inman looked steadily into his wife’s face and said:
“It isn’t just a question of being late. There’s your share of the work to do, and Keturah says you’re leaving it all to her——”
Before he could finish the reproof or Nancy could reply Keturah’s resolution gave way, and raising her apron to her eyes she broke in——
“What’s t’ use o’ talking about me? I’m just my lady’s servant, to fetch and carry for her from t’ time she gets up in a morning to when she lays her down at night. I knew what it ’ud be, well I did, when Baldwin said we mud all live together, for if I don’t know her fine-lady ways ’at’s brought her up from a child I’d like to know who does. But it’s come to a nice pass when one o’ my years, and ’at’s been a mother to her, has to be her slavey.”
Baldwin pushed back his chair with a hasty exclamation.
“Slavey be ——!” He used an expression that was not fit for the women’s ears, and followed it up with the usual succession of spluttered oaths; until Inman whose vexation had not been deep and was rapidly changing to contempt took advantage of a lull caused by the older man’s choking to remark coolly:
“There’s no need to talk about slaveys or anything of the sort; and there’s no need to spill either water or—aught else over the job. Nancy’s made a mistake that she won’t repeat——”