"No, I couldn't, mum," she said shortly, "for I'm the worst nuss as ever was; and besides, I've got my kitchen work to do; and if you wants a nuss, there's Mrs Jumfreys over the way would be glad to come, I dessay, only I ain't going to have her here in my kitchen." Mrs Blakeford hastily backed out of the kitchen and retreated upstairs, while Mary's rough mask dropped off as soon as she had gone. "I wasn't going to tell her as I nussed an invalid lady two years 'fore I came here," she said, smiling. "Besides, I didn't want to have nothing to do with him, for fear I should be tempted to give him his lotion 'stead of his physic, he aggravates me so. Lotions is pison, you know--outward happlication only." That night I had a bed made up down in the kitchen, and passed a weary, feverish time; but towards morning a pleasant feeling of drowsiness came over me. I fell asleep to dream that I was at home once more, and all was bright and sunshiny as I sat half asleep in the summer-house, when my mother came and laid her hand upon my forehead, and I opened my eyes to find it was Mary, ready to ask me whether I was better; and though the sweet, bright dream had gone, there was something very tender in the eyes that looked in mine. CHAPTER SEVEN. DREAMS OF THE GREAT MAGNET. I was very stiff and sore, and there was a peculiar giddiness ready to assail me as soon as I moved, so Mary, in her double capacity of doctor and nurse, decided that I was not to attempt to walk about that day. The consequence was that she made no scruple about dragging a little couch out of the parlour into the kitchen, and after I was dressed, making me lie down near the fire. "If they don't like it about the sofy, they must do the other thing," she said, laughing. "I say, do you know what time it is?" "No," I replied. "Half-past ten, and I've been waiting breakfast till you woke. You _have_ had a sleep. I wouldn't wake you, for I thought it would do you good." "I am better, a great deal," I said. "Yes; so you are. He ain't, or pretends he ain't. Miss Hetty's been catching it." "Has she?" "Yes; for wanting to know about you. Missus told her you were a wicked young wretch, and had half killed your master, and she was never to mention your name again." I was decidedly better, and in the course of the afternoon I got up and found that the various objects had ceased to waltz around. I made my way up to my bedroom, and for the first time had a look at myself in the glass, where I found that a sore feeling upon my face was caused by a couple of black marks which crossed each other at a sharp angle, and that high up above my temple, and just where the hair would cover it, there was a patch of black court-plaister, which was placed across and across in strips to cover a long and painful cut.