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Kate merrily. 'Sarah, do, pray, stop napping your bib!'
    This had the desired effect. Sarah dropped her apron, ejaculating: 'Miss Kate! How dare you? Where did you learn that nasty, vulgar expression? Not that I need to ask you! From Father, I'll be bound!'
    'Not a bit of it! From Tom!'
    'Oh, you did, did you? And how many times have I told you not to go near the stables, miss? Yes, and I'll tell you something else, which is that if you talk like that at Staplewood you'll be back here in the twinkling of a bedpost!'
    'Yes, Sarah!' said Kate meekly. She tore the wrapping from the largest of her parcels, shook out the Paisley shawl it contained, and swept it round her nurse. 'There! Please say you like it!' she coaxed, kissing Sarah's cheek. 'It comes to you with my love, dearest.'
    Mr Nidd, entering the kitchen some minutes later, was revolted to find his daughter-in-law peacocking about (as he phrased it) in a handsome shawl, and instantly demanded to be told what she thought she was a-doing of, dressed-up like Christmas beef.
    'Oh, Father, Miss Kate has given it to me!' said Sarah, dissolving again into tears. 'The very thing I always wanted!'
    'Ho!' said Mr Nidd. 'I might ha' known it! Flashing the rags all over! Soon as I see her trapesing off, I says to myself: Wasting the ready! that's what she's a-going to do !'
    'Did you indeed?' said Kate. 'Well, in that case I won't give you your snuff box, Mr Nidd!'
    'You've never gone and bought me a snuff box, miss?' he said incredulously. 'You're gammoning me!'
    'See if I am!' challenged Kate, holding the box out to him.
    'Well, dang me!' said Mr Nidd, accepting it in one gnarled hand, and subjecting it to a close inspection. 'Silver!' he pronounced, much gratified. 'Well, I'm sure I thank you very kindly, miss - very kindly indeed I thank you! Ah, and whenever I helps meself to a pinch of merry-go-up out of this here box I shall think of you, and I can't say no fairer than that!'
    Even Sarah felt that he had expressed his gratitude with rare grace. He then, and with great care, transferred the contents of his horn box into the new silver one, handing the old box to Sarah, with instructions to throw it away, since he had no further use for it. After that, he sallied forth, bound for his favourite hostelry, where, no one could doubt, he had every intention of offering his cronies pinches from his box. The discovery, later, that Kate had bestowed a handkerchief on his youngest grandson only abated his satisfaction for as long as it took him to assess the respective values of a silver snuff box and what he designated a Bird's Eye Wipe.

    CHAPTER III
    By five o'clock two days later, the chaise that bore Lady Broome, her niece, and her abigail, was nearing its destination, and her ladyship woke up. Miss Malvern, bright-eyed and alert, had not slept, but had divided her time between reverently stroking the sleek ermine muff which Lady Broome had bestowed upon her, squinting down to admire the matching stole about her shoulders, observing with interest the country through which four fast horses were carrying her, and speculating on the sudden change in her fortunes.
    From the moment of her arrival at the Clarendon Hotel, she felt that she had been pitchforked into another, and more affluent, world. Received with great civility, she was led upstairs to my lady's apartments, a large suite of rooms looking on to Albemarle Street, and welcomed affectionately by my lady, who kissed her, held her at arms' length, and exclaimed ruefully: 'How very pretty you are! And what charming taste you have! I don't wonder at it that that horrid young man made up to you! Ah, Sidlaw, here she is - my little half-niece! My love, this is Sidlaw, my dresser, and once, like your Sarah, my nurse!'
    Not for nothing had Miss Malvern spent six months in a gentleman's establishment: Miss Sidlaw's mien might be forbidding, and her curtsy majestic, but Miss Malvern knew better than to offer her hand. She smiled, and