‘Well, Nell, I _am_ surprised to hear you talk so!’ exclaimed her mother. ‘It don’t look as if you knew much about the gentry, who are always glad to see servants as have behaved themselves whilst in their service. But perhaps you’re afraid the earl is annoyed with you for leaving him so suddenly, and just as he was bringing home his bride. Is that it?’ ‘Perhaps so, mother,’ said the girl, looking very much confused. ‘Ah, I was always doubtful if there wasn’t something queer about your coming back so suddenly, and so I’ve told your mother,’ remarked Mr Llewellyn dubiously. ‘But if it was so, why, you must go over to the Hall to-morrow morning and ask his lordship’s pardon; and perhaps mother, here, can find some little thing as you could take up as an offering for his lady. Can you, mother?’ ‘Oh, I daresay,’ replied Mrs Llewellyn, ‘she might fancy a pen of our Minorca fowls or Cochins. I suppose they’ve a fine farm down at Thistlemere, Nell?’ ‘Yes, I suppose so. But, mother, I cannot go and see them, or take Lady Ilfracombe any presents. It will seem like intrusion. They’ve not asked to see me, and I’m only a discharged servant, after all.’ ‘Rubbish! Nonsense! What are you talking about?’ exclaimed the old farmer angrily. ‘A discharged servant! Why, didn’t you tell mother and me that you gave his lordship warning yourself? Haven’t you told the truth about your leaving? Is there anything hid under it all as we know nothing about? Come, now, no more secrets, if you please; let us have the plain truth at once, or I will go up the first thing in the morning and see his lordship myself.’ ‘Lor’, father, don’t be so hard on the lass!’ exclaimed his wife. ‘You’ve turned her as white as a lily with your noise. What should be under it, except that the maid wanted to come home? And time enough, too, after being three years away. Don’t you mind him, Nell, my girl. He’s just put out and cranky about the cow. If you don’t want to see his lordship, why, no more you shall. Here, sup up your beer and get to bed. I don’t half like the way in which you flushes on and off. It’s just how my sister’s girl went off in a waste. You sha’n’t be worried to do anything as you don’t wish to, take my word for it.’ ‘That’s how you fools of women go on together, without a thought of the business, and how it’s going to the devil,’ grumbled her husband. ‘Here’s Lord Ilfracombe come here, as you may say, in the very nick o’ time, and Nell the very one to ask a favour of him, and you cram her head with a pack o’ nonsense about not going near him. Sir Archibald is going to raise the rent, and send us all to the workhouse, when a word from his lordship might turn his mind the other way, especially if Nell put it to him, on account of her long service and good character, and you tell her not to do it. Bah! I’ve no patience with you.’