Brother William carefully placed the spoonful of cream within; and Martha closed her lips, solemnly imbibing the luscious spoonful, when, as a small portion was left visible at one corner, Brother William carefully removed it with an orange silk pocket-handkerchief; and Martha quietly said: "Thank you." "Would you like to look at the cows now, or have tea?" said Brother William; whereupon Martha opined that it would be better to have tea, as Fanny would be expecting them. But Fanny was evidently not expecting them, and did not come in until Martha had made the tea and cut the bread-and-butter, Brother William leaning his arms on the back of the big, well bees'-waxed Windsor chair, and gazing at her busy fingers, as she spread the yellow butter and cut a plateful of slices. "Seems just as if you were doing it at home," said Brother William; "only it looks nicer here." Then Fanny was summoned, and Martha made way for her to preside at the tea-tray. "No; you'd better pour out," the girl said absently. "I'd rather sit here." "Here" was where she could see through the open window out into the road; and there she sat while the meal was discussed, little attention being paid to her by her brother, who divided his time between eating heartily himself, and pressing slices of ham upon Martha, who took her place in the most matter-of-fact way, and supplied her host's wants, which were frequent, as the teacups were very small. In fact, so occupied with their meal were Brother William and Martha, that they did not notice a slow, deliberate step in the road, passing evidently down the lane; neither did they see that Fanny's face, as she bent lower over her cup, became deeply suffused, and that she did not look up till the step had died away, when she uttered a low sigh, as if a burden had been removed from her breast. After that, though, they did notice that she became brighter and more willing to enter into conversation, seeming at last to take quite an interest in her brother's account of the loss of a sheep through its getting upside down in a ditch; and she also expressed a feeling of satisfaction upon hearing that hay would fetch a good price in the autumn, so many people having had theirs spoiled. "Never mind me," said Fanny, as soon as, between them, she and Martha had put away the tea-things: "I shall go into the garden and look round."