Like as not he
forgot it all for a minute, and thought it was herself. She had a blue
dress that he always liked, and she'd sit here and sing, and the sun
coming in on her through her own window there, as she always called it:
like a pretty picture she was, our Faith."
"Oh!" cried Hilda, taking the brown, motherly hand in both of hers, "I
am so very, very sorry, dear Nurse Lucy! I did not know! I will never
sit here again. I thought--"
But she was ashamed to say what she had thought,--that this chair and
table had been set for her to tempt her to sit down "in a kitchen!" She
could hear herself say it as she had said it last night, with a world of
scornful emphasis. How long it seemed since last night; how much older
she had grown! And yet--and yet somehow she felt a great deal younger.
All this passed through her mind in a moment; but Nurse Lucy was petting
her, and saying: "Nay, dearie; nay, child! This is just where I want you
to sit. 'Twill be a real help to Farmer, once he is used to it. Hark! I
hear him coming now. Sit still! To please me, my dear, sit still where
ye are."
[Illustration: "SHE BENT IN REAL DISTRESS OVER THE CURRANTS."]
Hilda obeyed, though her heart beat painfully; and she bent in real
distress over the currants as Farmer Hartley once more entered the room.
She hardly knew what she feared or expected; but her relief was great
when he bade her a quiet but cheerful "Good-day!" and crossing the
room, sat down in his great leather arm-chair.
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