When I had eaten, I thought I would look about me a little, as my Lady had said. The trees of the park came up quite close on this side of the house, and I found myself directly in a little wood, where grew in profusion primroses and many other flowers which had not begun to think of coming out in the North. I gathered two pretty little nosegays, one for my own room, and one for Lady Betty. And finding some snail shells, I put them in my pocket, thinking that they might amuse the child. I could have spent my whole hour in the wood, but I remembered that my clothes were yet to be put in order. So I went back to my room and unpacked all my things, arranging them as I was used to do in my old room in the Rectory. Then, having still a few minutes, I read the one hundred and third Psalm, which came in my regular course, and said my morning prayers. The chaplain is gone away, so we have no prayers in the chapel at present. Then I went back to Lady Betty's room. My Lady was still there, and smiled as she saw my flowers, while Betty uttered a cry of delight, as she took them in her hands and smelled them. "Do you then love flowers as well as myself?" said my Lady, gently. "Yes, my Lady," I answered. "Margaret used to have a garden when she lived at home," said Lady Betty. "She told me so this morning. I wish I could have one, but then I could not dig in it myself, as she used to." "Perhaps you may, some day, when you are stronger," said my Lady. "You and Mistress Merton seem to have made friends very readily." "She is so good to me," said Betty. "She dressed me without hurting me a bit. I love her better than anybody but my own old Mary." "Mistress Merton was very kind to dress you," answered my Lady. "But, my daughter, she is not your nurse or waiting-woman—she is your governess, and you must be good and obey her, and strive to learn all that she can teach you." I was not sorry to hear my Lady say this. It is much more comfortable to understand one's position, be that position what it may. But Lady Betty did not seem pleased at all. "I don't want a governess!" she whimpered. "Mrs. Burley was a governess, and she was cross to me: and I want Margaret to dress me and tell me tales, as she did this morning." "Oh, very well! That is as you and she can agree," said my Lady, smiling, as did I. "I dare say she will tell you tales if you are good; only, Mistress Merton, you must not let this imperious little girl make a slave of you." "But you will dress me, won't you?" asked the child, turning to me. "Surely, if your mother is willing," I said. "Why not?" My Lady gave me a sweet smile, and a glance from her beautiful eyes, as she kissed Lady Betty, and sat her in her easy chair (for she had been all this while on her mother's lap). The child made up a crying face, but refrained, as her mother held up her finger, though her poor little mouth quivered piteously as my Lady left the room, and I feared we might have another scene.