ter I got t , t Briar  and long, it mig time.

    It  all ts of to get used to ts, and for to get used to me. For a  care for me. I o tco ? All rig   really  a joke and no-one laug it.) And C look at me as if oo afraid to speak; and Mrs Cakebread y kind of way, Ohank you.

    I supposed to , reminding them

    of all t quiet and out-of-t a look at. tiles took me aside. S mind, Miss Smittle  say  place— Sarted everyto me .—I cant say   Briar o keep very mindful of tings of t;

    It turned out t Mrs Cakebread ed, by my saying good-morning to tc to  I meant to tease  all. It  trifling sort of nonsense, and enougo make a cat laug it o t o you, if all you o look foro for t forty years rays and baking pastry. Any, if I o get anyceps. I gave C of ce, t I en; I gave Margaret a piece of scented soap; and to Mrs Cakebread I gave a pair of tockings t Gentleman  for me from the crooked warehouse.

    I said I  Cairs in to me after t.

    ts like a servant. A servant says, All for my master, and means, All for myself. Its t t I cant bear. At Briar, t all over sneaking little matters t o t from Mr Lillys gravy to sell on t to tc Mrs Cakebread did. Or, pulling ttons from Mauds c;  did. I , after tc er after all. Mr ay, no, in a place like o Mr Lillys cellar, on a chain. You never saw such a

    s key ! And tiless pantry,  sray—and Id see  no-one ipping ttom of all to one great cup, and lus away.

    I sa—but, of course, I kept it all to myself. I  to make trouble. It o me, if o deat of my time, any used to oo. S; but t enoug didnt  me to indulge t le to take a kind of pleasure in tidying of o dressing infants. I greo dressing her.

    Lift your arms, miss, Id say. Lift your foot. Step here. Now, here.

    times s say. I turning of all my limbs.

    I did, in time. I kne sed. I kne sending up eggs, I  and told o send soup instead.

    Clear soup, I said. Clear as you can make it. All rigiles, s like it. Mrs Stiles dont o eat it, I ansiles aint Miss Mauds maid. I am.

    So te it all up. . S down  splashed.

    Its only er, I said, seeing

    you. S  anote ealing glances at less. Finally she said:

    I ter tle fat in it...quot;

    t o go into  her a fresh pair of

    aloves myself, to sit and c. Let me do it, I said, undoing tton at ; and t first s let me toucime—since I said I le— so let me.  t ly clean, and gre of oo smooto be rig  t . I  of my lap and tand and curn black. Surned to asimes Id stand and look h

    her.

    For t to notice, at Briar, t t cead, t: to to see  ed or dropped. In tumn, it floods, Maud said, and all t care for t. And some nige mist comes creeping from ter, almost to t gave beneats stle t is freezing already. Do you see  struggles? It s to flo till it. Do you see, Sue? he rushes?

    Sc of  ts only er, miss.

    Only er?

    Broer.

    She blinked.

    You are cold, I said to t too long. I put  mine. I did it, not tayed stiff. But t day—or perhe day

    after t—sook my arm again, and  so stiff; and after t, I suppose urally ... I dont kno er t I  it and tried to look back. But by t time ime her.

    S a girl, after all; for all t t a girl t idying one of . S t s, but t  Boroug. e played for matc first; ttle counters, made of mot moons; and after t,  and cool on till  doly, making tcer a , too.

    alked. So alk of London. Is it truly so large? sres? And hey call, fashion-houses?

    And eating-houses. And every kind of shop. And parks, miss.

    Parks, like my uncles?

    A little like, Id say. But filled h people, of course.—Are you low, miss, or high?

    I am  doe filled, would you say?

    I am o your two.

    e filled, you say, h people?

    Of course. But dark. ill you cut?

    Dark? Are you sure? I t London o be brig lamps fired—I believe—h gas?

    Great lamps, like diamonds! I said. In tres and  t—

    Dance, Sue?

    Dance, miss.  to dance, of course?

    I— Saug. Do you t be a lady, in London— t is, so go t be a lady in London, and yet not dance?

    S, I suppose. S you like to learn, ter.

    Could I? Sful, t sure . . .

    I guessed ing in London, who could.

    I c for a minute or tting up. It is easy, look—

    And I seps, to a couple of dances. try tood in my arms like  .  on turkey carpet. So t t back; and t  it sear. tleman, remember. Of course, it er, —

    tumbled again, and  and fell into separate c o c stuck out like a little Dutce.

    S my eye, and smiled; till looked frightened.

    I s I, Sue?

    You s t moment, I believed it. I made  ero  I remembered t, of course, she never would.

    For, te—t so !—per rat knoe of a person in a story or a play.  and s-up, it made t over a pigs o t I lemans stolen fortune—it made t  not first I o myself, leman comes Ill do ts . But Id say it, t   t I  muc t  I suppose t  toget a time; and it o be kind to  too   and feel cruel.

    Of course, it  for o talk; but more often so be silent, and t  nigurning, turning of s—feel leman,  old  ser my old aunty, t o be , for  made me home-sick.

    And t  t Maud  ion. I only t t later, t time, I sater?

    Songue. I oot t cuts me.

    Let me see, I said.

    I took o tood h her face in my hands

    and let me feel about ed toot at

    once.

    ell, t is sharper— 1 began.

    ts tooth, Sue? she said.

    to say, miss, I ans to  out a to matche flying scissors.

    Maud stroked ten by a snake, Sue? she asked me.

    could you say? o t. Per ry living. I said I didnt. S me, t t ted tootil t aken off. I  many times, s.—Of course, infants rat. Maud stood very still, ed,  back,  first closed t me, .  lifted and sank, as s, from t tered, and s my eye.

    And, as sepped a ter on a tray. For Miss Maud, ssey. I looked at t once t it must be Gentlemans. My  gave a dip. So did Mauds, I think.

    Bring it ill red  rembling.

    I c to, as I moved about aking up books and custing aurn tter and fumble —of course, s tear t me, and till trembling,

    but making a s  to say it o  s it toned one glove and put o tter from t in .

    t out  sig t from it.

    Good ne? I said; since I t I ougo.

    Sated. t is from Mr Rivers, in London; and o Briar, tomorrow!

    tayed on ; and in ternoon,  se even play at cards, but paced about times stood before touco me,  all.

    I got t any of Gentleman, laying out t Street kitcold us all . t of Dainty.  o tell fortunes from a pack of cards. I , many times.

    I looked at Maud, standing dreaming at the mirror. I said,

    So knoure, miss? Did you kno you can read it, from he cards fall?

    t made urn from looking at o look at mine. Ser a moment,

    I t it .

    ell, but dont tell Margaret or Mrs Stiles, I said. My grandmother, you know, was a gipsy-princess.

    And after all, my granny mig. I put togeto ated, t beside me, spreading  skirt flat, saying,  must I do?

    I said s sit e, and ts t  ; ake t out t seven

    of t I t I remembered Daintys mot mig down seven.

    I looked  to knoune?

    Sening me!

    I said again, Do you really  to kno?  teac obey. It is very bad luck to ask to so be bound by tune you find here?

    I do, sly.

    Good, I said.  us see t part of it. t.

    I turned over t ts, folloting ig, I hen.

    I studied ting, and trife.

    Sared, t o . Go on, she said. her face was pale now.

    Let us look, I said, at t t.

    I turned th a flourish.

    tern old gentleman. the Cavalier of Spades—

    I took my time. Sowards me.

    s he Cavalier?

    I said ; and s me in suconis of  sorry. S turn over t cards.

    I said, Miss, I must. Or all your luck will leave you. Look ure.

    I turned t. the Six of Spades.

    A journey! I said. Perrip ...quot;

    S ans gazing at turned up. t one, s. S first.

    Queen of Diamonds, sh a sudden frown. hos she?

    I did not knoo turn up t after all, must he deck.

    t last. Great hink.

    Great   t and took t  and rose. I dont believe, s your grandmotoo fair in t believe it. And I dont like your fortune-telling. Its a game for servants.

    Sepped aood again before t surn and say somet. But as s, s , and he pips.

    t card, after t, in t followed.

    t afternoon,  t of t nigful. S into bed, but  a little cup of er; and as I stood undressing I satle and slip t into t  time I sa. It made  day, trand of o  the bed.

    Bruso me, as sood for me to dress   se my c, Sue. S my fingers to her face, and pressed

    t mind if you bruise it. Id rate one!

    troubled me to alk of bruises. I said,

    Stand still, or I s be able to dress you at all.—ts better. Now, which gown will you have?

    the grey?

    too soft on ts say, the blue . . .

    t out tood before tctoned it tig. t me. S my brouff dress. She said,

    Your dress is rat it? I t to c.

    I said, C? this is all I have.

    All you  already.  o wearing for Lady Alice, wo you?

    I felt—and I t in feeling it—t Gentleman  me do o Briar  the one good gown. I said,

    ell, t is, miss, Lady Alice  s my frocks back, to take to India for here.

    Maud blinked her dark eyes and looked sorry. She said,

    Is t reat their maids, in London?

    Only the near ones, miss, I answered.

    to be near for,  and so spend your mornings in. And per, for you to co wor?

    She door of her press. She said,

    No I never s long, I see. My uncle does not care to see me in a long skirt, s un  mind, of course, about

    you. You need only let dotle , of course?

    ell, I ainly used to taking stitc; and I could seraigo. I said, t , . It looked like it ogetrong ailors. Sudied me, and then said,

    Ory it, Susan, do! Look, I so undress me. See, I can do it, quite as ress!

    Stle nervously, all time s last. e migers!

    Sugged my old bro tand before to tig he figure of a lady.

    Of course,  ers,  bots. My dress shen, I should have fallen down and died.

    But to see me; and no Boroug . I stood, plucking at t, o my bosom, tilting o see  looked. the parlour door.

    t, se pink. So t!

    Margaret came and made a curtsey, looking straig me. She said,

    I  come for your tray, mi— O you, tress, Im sure!

    Sanding in tain—looked girlisting er, and her dark eyes shone.

    Suppose, s o do  did, and mistake you for me?  hen?

    Again s the glass, and smiled.

    For it  it, to be taken for a lady?

    Its ed.

    And anyo get tarting early. I kept t to  turning tting out t about to do myself an injury, for teen-inc.

    No s. But , serrible books!

    S weeping, and wringing her hands.

    I took t aing for not be dressed in a sack. S een tleman  her.

    It  ao see  I kneending I kne migctle glass, to look at your face in?—and so keep my blood warm. And, A glass, Sue? hy should I need a glass?

    I t you  your ohan was usual.

    My oed in doing t?

    I cant say, miss, Im sure.

    I kne Marlo four oclock, and t illiam Inker  to meet it, as  for me. At t at t

    I said nottle padded seat beside ttling panes and mouldy sand-bags, it  place in t s t ing at itctle glances at to the house.

    I t, if t  love, tc  one of them.

    At last s o  and gave a stifled sort of cry. S coming, on illiam Inkers trap. t made  up and come aand at toget be Mr Rivers, miss? and se as t? ell, I suppose it is. how pleased my uncle will be!

    . So bid Mr Rivers  nohe grey?

    But Mr Lilly did not send for  it o pass on t Mr Rivers was arrived.

    And is Mr Rivers made comfortable, in his old room? said Maud.

    Yes, miss.

    And Mr Rivers ired, I suppose, after his journey?

    Mr Rivers sent to say t olerable tired, and looked foro seeing Miss Lilly  supper.  turbing Miss Lilly before then.

    I see, s. t o tell Mr Rivers t s t any sort of disturbance, to be visited by he supper-hour came . . .

    S on like te and a  t off. Ser of an leman h her.

    epped into t look at me at first. his eyes were all for Maud. he said,

    Miss Lilly, you are kind to receive me ravel-stained and tumbled as I am. t is like you!

    le. As for tains— a mark upon o . idy;  little ring on  finger, but apart from t his hands were bare and very clean.

    to be—a leman. urned to me at last, I found myself making sey and  shy.

    And , co I sepped toook my o me.  Briar, Sue. I ress.

    I said, I oo, sir.

    She is a very good girl, said Maud. She is a very good girl, indeed.

    S in a nervous, grateful kind of  to a stranger, feeling pusion, about your dog.

    Gentleman pressed my  it fall.   be good—I s be good, Miss Lilly—h you as her example.

    rose again. You are too kind, she said.

    at leman could but be, o be kind to,

    No  last s hen she laughed.

    And I t t time, t . S—I kne, seeing and beside h her eyes on his.

    Pigeons and geese. t clock sounded, and tarted and looked aleman said  oo long. I s supper, I h your uncle?

    itly.

    to t out of it o remember me, and  tomime, of patting at s, looking for coins. o take it.

    ed my . It  Maud s overhear.

    I said, Osey, and o do toget  recommend you try it: for I fear tsey; and Im certain tsey the wink.

    I dont tleman noticed, isfied  us. Maud looked once at me, t silently to  knoil ser, to o her gown for dinner.

    I sat and tossed t, bad coins will gleam as well as good.

    But I t it in a discontented sort of  know why.

    t nigayed an er supper, reading to o Gentleman in t seen t s iles o remark on it as ook our meals. I still passed my evenings in tciless pantry; and pretty dull evenings t, . I  doo find Margaret  piece of roasting . , plumping up e diso cook for.

    Sockings for tra ruffles. C, and made ting straig ool beside to one of Gentlemans boots.

    o tiles? Mr Rivers says t, in London, you may see eleps. s in pens in ts back.

    ell, bless my soul! said Mrs Stiles.

    Sened a brooc t was a mourning brooc.

    Eleps! I t. I could see t Gentleman o a coop of roosting  ttering. tter-bred treating of a servant. t a fine t  a clever young person like  tood up and told trut ts; t Mr Rivers o marry Maud and steal ood and told t, t. t I was mad.

    tleman, over someone like me.

    And of course, I  about to tell t my ts to myself; and later, over pudding in ry, Mrs Stiles sat, fingering . Mr ay took o to serve up t of all of us, not glad t Gentleman had come.

    At least, I supposed I old myself, but just dont kno. Youll feel it, o meet, in a day or t  anotwo weeks, however, before we did. For of course, I had no

    reason for  Maud, into ts of t in, and o mine. Besides, t Briar  e like some great mec c. ter t  moving on our o room, on our set courses, until to our beds at nig as

    into t .—Sometimes,   t I could almost  turning. I greo stop.

    ts ry does to you.

    leman came, ticks, t all  on, smoot  order. Maud did not go to o read to ook notes. S to  and se cards, or  o to trees and the graves.

    As for Gentleman:  seven, and took  in  eigures. Mr Lilly directed ures as ted up a little room for Gentleman to ures ty precious. I never saleman carried keys about o t room  or in it.

    til one oclock, took took ours alone. e ate in silence. S not eat at all, but only sit ing. t a quarter to ts, papers and cards, a riangle—and s tly, in an order t  let me help. If a brush fell and

    I caug, sake everyts, triangle—and set it out all over again.

    I learned not to touco cen, as truck t a minute after t tleman, to teach her her days lesson.

    At first, t to t an apple, a pear and a er-jug upon a table, and stood and nodded o paint t as -brus Gentleman  his head or screw up his eye and say,

    I declare, Miss Lilly, you are acquiring quite a method. Or,

    an improvement, on your sketc month!

    Do you t ttle lean?  ougo practise my perspective?

    tive is, pertle at fault,  you , Miss Lilly, o stand before you! I am afraid of urn t eye upon me.

    , in a voice t art off strong and t, and breatating; and soo near to a fire. Sry t again. time t like a banana. tleman  t he brush a bad one.

    If I migake you to London, Miss Lilly, to my oudio there!

    t ists life, in a  Cing artist friends. Maud said, Lady artist friends, too?

    Of course, —t to everyones taste. See ry ttle firmer.

    to  urned o his and said,

    ont you tell me  is you t speak plainly. I am not a child, Mr Rivers!

    You are not, ly, gazing into art. After all,  on, my opinion is mild enoug concerns your—your sex, and matters of creation. t have.

    S is t, Mr Rivers?

    y, ly, of mine.

    S still, to startle o tleman looked up too, and c made ill o me, to ed o roke.

    t o ture of t, and—O ran like a tear-drop. Gentleman said s not mind it, t e enoug to table, took up t. Maud kept a little pen-knife  t and cut to t slices. o  one for  s juice and brougo me.

    Almost ripe, I th a wink.

    o e it in t left beads of cloudy juice on fully; and I licked mine; and Maud, for once, let ained, and sat  against  it, her look a dark one.

    e s. Real secrets, and snide. too many to count. ry noo sort out op and give it up, it makes my head spin.

    At last  try painting from nature. I guessed at once  meant. It meant t ake  to all t instruction. I t, too. ill it rain today, do you think?

    s of ill cold as anyt just as everyone in t  to see Mr Rivers come back to it again, so noo lift and gro. topped rattling. turned pearly instead of grey. tables.

    In t t leman: er a sation, sake it; I t more easily, to ty stiffly, t ttle artful o pull il it o brus from art off space bet steadily t last, t about rousers. I sa all; for I ool. Sometimes te to forget me. turn, and say,

    mind ter of a mile .

    Mr Rivers al t.   to paint, but really keeping alking in murmurs; and I o folloheir gear.

    Of course, I o  all. I  to c Gentleman was proper.

    I ccimes at en at t some flotering bird t took  urn, and catc by time s h.

    You would swear, seeing  he loved her.

    You would swear, seeing  she loved him.

    But you could see t stering .  go too fast. ouc to let o guide ed. o o coget if  a little nearer s her gloves on.

    At last  t spot beside ting of t reading in t nig fretfully to imes took more sleeping-drops, and sometimes shivered in her sleep.

    I put my , till sill again.

    I er on  me to make  for no  , I kept  till it sleman o udy er in t passes!, I kne. But I kneoo, t  it as a compliment not to  to me, w all.

    I guessed little t.  speak plainly, but made great play ed out our calk in private; and just as it began to look as t c did—and it was Maud, in  way, w us .

    For sood at t  it, and said,

    the lawn.

    I  and stood beside rolling about tte. till rather low, made his shadow very long.

    Aint all? I said, gazing side Maud. S, and s ahen she said,

    O te . Poor Mr Rivers!

    udying tip of te, and blo it; noing o rouser pocket, searcc the window-glass.

    No? c believe ruck te ty minutes ago.  go to Uncle soon. No,  cs ...quot;

    S me and wrung  was breaking.

    I said, It  kill him, miss.

    But poor Mr Rivers, s take a matco ting te away. how sad he looks now!

    e didnt c kept told Maud t she said,

    take a candle! take anytake a coal from t you be quicker?—Dont say I sent you, mind!

    Can you believe s?—tripping dos of stairs, ed coal in a pair of fire-tongs, just so a man mig? ell, I  no. Gentleman saepping across to  I carried, and laughed.

    I said, All rig me do for you to ligte from. Look glad, sc make a business of it, if you .

    move  raised o her window.

    a good girl she is, he said.

    Soo good for you, t I do know.

    only as a gentleman so a servant; and ly,

    how do we do, Sue?

    Pretty well, I answered.

    You think she loves me?

    I do. Oh, yes.

    a silver case and lifted free a cigarette. But s told you so?

    S o.

    o trust you?

    I t. She has nobody else.

    te, t in a sigained the cold air blue. he said, Shes ours.

    epped back a little ured  ed, let to tooped to  it.  else? old  t ened, smiling, all time fumbling ongs over tc up and rising, and placing my ongs and pressing tight.

    tly. ter. But you kno do? atctle jeing and turn o cas like t on, in an ordinary voice. Mr ay o t door of to see  fall and scorcs . . .

    I made sey, and epped out to bend  tc,  murmur:

    ts on you, at Lant Street. Mrs Sucksby o kiss you, in her behalf.

    kiss, t te into ted up e o brus back behind his ear.

    From ep, I saudying  quite sure o do most: laug s out. But

    Gentleman kept . ed o tretc Maud migter from the shadows of her room.

    Sood and cte, every morning  ifter t. Sand at to t circle of crimson in   upon t I sa gro passed.

    Noced for to break.

    I  it migake t t  too good at ing, and too smoottle jump out of o be nearer to Gentleman; and tle  of o be closer to  t o glide in. e needed to go bust.

    e needed o gro I could , ttle s—suc a kind gentleman Mr Rivers  s like Mr Rivers mig t for ttle c, to open up , sook one. turned cold again, t got to Marc  April. By May, Mr Lillys pictures ed, and Gentleman  still s of fear t a en her off.

    I greful, ing. Gentleman greful. e all gre fidgeting for  a trot, and art, t

    art; and ime for Gentleman to call on ening for ep—t. t nigiff and open-eyed, or turn and murmur in her sleep.

    All, I t, for love! I . I t about  , in t of all t she guessed liked her.

    I t of leman liked me.

    I t per to take ell o another.

    t s tty rum, in lig er.

    But somet. t last. t bust, and all our ing paid off.

    S him kiss her.

    Not on  someter.

    I kno.

    It  day of April. too ime of year. t in a sky of grey, and everyone said thunder.

    S and a cloak above : so ake a. Sting at ing of tleman o e spoiled , and t upon her face.

    t to touc er in it still, and all t rank. t Gentleman said les. tig, furry buds.

    I sat beside turned punt: Gentleman  to ter of t  of cakes. t leman looked on, smiling, and sometimes putting his hand on

    hers.

    Sed, and t sun  loo be streaked . I slept and dreamt of Lant Street—I dreamt of Mr Ibbs at ing. t arted from t, not knoleman were nowo be seen.

    tool, and terrible painting. ts. I  over and picked up t it leman, after all, to aken o t me to come up, sing,  I could not imagine t s almost afraid for  almost like a real maid, worried for ress.

    And ttle hem.

    t gone far—only just along t bent about t  look round. t ogeto  last.  time,  me to over  t to ,  turned   her hair, and whispered.

    tood ced one of ; and then he kissed her naked palm.

    And by t, I kneo  rose even ops of ockings, te of high.

    treacle. My go to gaze as I did. I could not look aillness of t ill bunc ed skirt—it seemed to ongue among tcly kissed her again.

    I so see . I . Instead, I imagined t of e fingers,   morning. I  and in . All for  t and —so slig s break. I t  swallow her up, or bruise her.

    I turned a t of too urned, and stole softly back to er a minute te after t I s, and tleman  ttoned up and . hen he saw me he gave me a look. he said,

    Sue! e didnt like to  t is all gone, and ress?

    I said notoo, , and looked no . I put  ook ting and ts, tool and t, and folloe in to the

    door to us. As  to fall, in great, dark, staining drops.

    Just in time! said Gentleman softly, gazing at Maud and letting her draw her hand from him.

    It   ill, for I sao roke her fingers over her palm.