Ella felt shy of asking him; but shyness had no chance of thriving in her aunt’s presence, and Sarah was despatched to ask if he would have half an hour to spare that afternoon. He soon showed Ella where she was wrong, and henceforward was always ready to give her just the advice she needed; and as the weather grew warmer, and made outdoor occupations possible, she was surprised at the many charming “bits” he found for her to sketch in the flat, uninteresting country in which Hapsleigh was situated. Soon after Mrs. Wilson’s new servants arrived, Mrs. Moore, the widow woman whom Ella had engaged as cook, asked her if she might “make so bold as to say, could she not have family prayers for them in the morning; for, not being a very good scholar herself, she could never manage to read her Bible, and Sarah, though a nice steady girl, was not so fond of her Bible as to care to sit and read it to her.” Ella was a good deal dismayed at this suggestion, but promised to think it over and consult her aunt. This was a mere matter of form, for she was sure that her aunt would approve of the suggestion, so that the decision really rested with herself. She felt sure it was the right thing to do; but she was really very bashful, though she dared not say much about it at Hapsleigh, and this seemed to her taking so much upon herself. And what should she read? and when? A very short reflection decided her that it must be done somehow, and for the rest she had no choice but to consult her aunt. Mrs. Wilson warmly approved of the idea, but seriously added to Ellen’s discomfiture by remarking— “You had better begin to-morrow, my dear. I wonder we none of us had the sense to think of it before; and, nurse, if you will begin from to-morrow to give me my breakfast punctually, we will have prayers here in my bedroom directly afterwards. Yes, my dear,” she went on, in reply to an exclamation of dismay which Ella could not altogether repress, “it is so long since I have attended a service I feel a perfect heathen, and need to be read to quite as much as Mrs. Moore.” And having once taken the idea into her head, nothing would induce Mrs. Wilson to give it up; though, on nurse’s advice, she agreed that they should meet in the evening instead of the morning, as being a more convenient time for an invalid. Mrs. Wilson had one or two books of prayers in the house, but as they were old and most of them rather too long, she told Ella to look through the books beforehand, and select a prayer each day, marking with a pencil which portions to omit. At the same time she talked over with her the most suitable portions of the Bible to select for reading.