I had some few little pieces, so I brought them, and my Lady looked them over, and was pleased so to commend them, that I found courage to make my request, which was that she would let me work something for the baby that is coming, on the fine linen that my aunt sent me. She consented, on condition that I should not abridge my hours of recreation. "But how shall you manage about Betty?" she asked. "I suppose she knows naught of the matter, and she will be all curiosity about your work." "If I might venture to speak my thoughts about that, my Lady," said I, and then stopped, fearing I was too bold. "Well!" said my Lady. "Speak out. Your thoughts are usually to the purpose, I find." Thus encouraged, I did venture to tell her what I was thinking of—namely, that she should tell Lady Betty herself. "You see, my Lady, she is sure to find out in some way. Lady Jemima is very outspoken, and the maids will talk: and if she learns the story from you, she will be less likely to take up any wrong impression, or to ask inconvenient questions. My mother did so by me when Jacky and Phillis were born, and she said she thought it the best way." "Your mother has made a wondrous wise maid of you!" said my Lady. "I wonder she could make up her mind to part with so notable a daughter." I told her that Dick and myself, being the eldest children, were obliged to do what we could to help the others, dear father's death having left us poor, and besides, I said, people at home did not give me credit for so much wisdom. She laughed and said something about a prophet being without honor in his own country. And then bidding me take a good long walk, and enjoy myself in the fresh air, she went back to Lady Betty, and I took my bundle of work and went down to the almshouses. They are pretty cottages enough, five in number, and stand on the village green, near the church-yard. I thought the thatch would be the better of mending in some places, but, on the whole, they looked comfortable, though not so nice as ours at Saintswell. I wonder, by the way, whether Mr. Carey will hold Sir Peter Beaumont up to the point of keeping them in repair, as my father used to do. Well, I knocked at the door of the first one, and a voice said, "Come in!" so I entered. There, in her bee-hive chair, sat an old woman look so like dear Dame Crump that I could have kissed her. She made me most civilly welcome, and asked me to sit down. I told her that I had brought her a cap and petticoat, which Lady Jemima had left for her. She smiled, and said my Lady was very kind, but I can't say she showed any great enthusiasm about the matter. "You will be the young lady now to take care of my Lady Betty," she said, presently. I told her I was. "And how is she, poor dear maid? No better, I suppose?" I told her I thought Lady Betty was stronger than when I came, adding that I believed the fresh air did her good.