, Mr. Haverley," she said, "and can
understand the feelings of another, even if she be an old woman and a
cook, and I know you can comprehend my sentiments when I find myself
again serving my most gracious former mistress Mrs. Drane, and her lovely
daughter, whose beautiful qualities of mind and soul it does not become
me to speak of to you, sir. They were most kind to me when I first came
to this country, she and her daughter, two angels, sir, whom I would
serve forever. Do not think, sir, that I would not gladly serve you and
your lady sister, but they are above all. It was last night, sir, as I
sat looking out of my window at the beautiful trees in the moonlight, and
I have not seen such trees in the moonlight since I lived in the Isle of
Wight at Lord Monkley's country house there; La Fleur was his chef, and I
was only there on a visit, because at that time I was attending to the
education of my boy, who died a year afterward; and I thought then, sir,
looking out at the moonlight, that I would go with the Dranes wherever
they might go, and I would live with them wherever they might live; that
I would serve them always with the best I could do, and that none could
do better. But I beg your pardon, sir, for standing here, and talking in
this way, sir," and with a little courtesy and with her head more on one
side and more bowed down, she shuffled away.

"Now then," said she to herself, as she entered the kitchen, "if I have
given him a notion of a wife with a first-class cook attached, it is a
good bit of work to begin with."

CHAPTER XXXIV

A PLAN WHICH SEEMS TO SUIT EVERYBODY

Since her drive home from Thorbury with Ralph Haverley, Cicely Drane had
not ceased to consider the hypothesis which had been suggested to her
that day by La Fleur; but this consideration was accompanied by no plan
of action, no defined hopes, no fears, no suspicions, and no change in
her manner toward the young man, except that in accordance with her
mother's prudential notions, which had been indicated to her in a
somewhat general way, she had restricted herself in the matter of
tete-a-tetes and dual rambles.

She looked upon the relations between Ralph and herself in the most
simple and natural manner possible. She was enjoying life at Cobhurst. It
delighted her to see her mother so contented and so well. She was greatly
interested in her work, for she was a girl of keen intelligence, and
thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed the