The girl turned slowly and gazed at the speaker, her brow contracting a little at the inner corners of her straight eyebrows, which were drawn up, giving her face a troubled expression. "I hardly thing I do, nurse, dear; he is so stern and firm with me. He seems to talk to me as if it were all my fault that I have been so weak and ill; and he does not know--he does not know." The tears rose to her eyes, ready to brim over as she spoke. "Ah! naughty little girl!" cried the woman, with mock anger; "crying again! I will not have it. Oh! my own pet," she continued, changing her manner, as she passed her arm lovingly about the light waist and tenderly kissed her charge. "Please, please try. You are so much better. You must hold up." "Yes, yes, nurse, I will," cried the girl, making an effort, and kissing the homely face lovingly. "And what did I tell you? I'm always spoken of as your maid now--lady's maid. It must not be nurse any longer." "Ah!" said Kate, with the wistful look coming in her eyes again; "it seems as if all the happy old things are to be no more." "No, no, my dear; you must not talk so. You not twenty, and giving up so to sadness! You must try and forget." "Forget!" cried the girl, reproachfully. "No, no, not quite forget, dear; but try and bear your troubles like a woman now. Who could forget dear old master, and your poor dear mother? But would they like you to fret yourself into the grave with sorrow? Would they not say if they could come to you some night, `Never forget us, darling; but try and bear this grief as a true woman should'?" "Yes," said the girl, thoughtfully, "and I will. But I don't feel as if I could be happy here." The maid sighed. "Uncle is very kind, and my aunt is very loving in her way, but I feel as if I want to be alone somewhere--of course with you. I have lain awake at night, longing to be back home." "But that is impossible now, darling. Cook wrote to me the other day, and she told me that the house and furniture had been sold, and that the workmen were in, and--oh, what a stupid woman I am. Pretty way to try and comfort you!" "It's nothing, 'Liza. It's all gone now," said the girl, smiling piteously. "That's nice and brave of you; but I am very stupid, my dear. There, there, you will try and be more hopeful, and to think of the future?" "Yes, I will; but I'm sure I should be better and happier if I went away from here. Couldn't we have a cottage somewhere--at the seaside, perhaps, and live together?" "Well, yes, you could, my dear; but it wouldn't be nice for you, nor yet proper treatment to your uncle and aunt. Come, try and get quite well. So you don't like Doctor Leigh?" "No, I think not." "Nor yet Miss Jenny?" "Oh, yes, I like her," said Kate, with animation. "She is very sweet and girlish. Oh, nurse, dear, I wish I could be as happy, and light-hearted as she is!"