nny took her place, she saw Robin Featherstone making room at the
lower table for a stranger--a young man, aged about two or three and
twenty, dressed in a tidy suit of grey cloth, and apparently a new
servant. His complexion was unusually dark, and his hair jet black. He
was not handsome, and as Jenny did not admire dark complexions, she
mentally set him down as an uninteresting person--probably Lord Wilmot's
man.

The good-natured steward, on her right hand, noticed Jenny's look at the
new comer.

"That is Mrs Jane's new man," said he kindly; "he goeth with you into
Somerset. My Lord Wilmot hath spoken for him to the Colonel, and
commends him highly, for a young man of exceeding good character."

Young men of good character were not attractive people to Jenny; a young
man with good looks would have had much more chance of her regard.

"His name is William Jackson," added the steward.

Jenny was rather sorry to hear that this uninteresting youth would have
to go with them to Bristol; the rather, because it destroyed the last
vestige of a faint hope she had entertained, that Robin Featherstone
might be chosen for that purpose.

The worst of all her grievances was, that she seemed completely cut off
from his delightful society. She had really seen far more of him at the
farm than she did now, when she was living in the same house. And then
to have all her rose-coloured visions for the future destroyed--Jenny
felt herself a badly used young woman.

Supper ended, the dance followed according to Mrs Jane's decree, led
off by herself and Lord Wilmot; and Jenny, to her great satisfaction,
found herself the partner of the enchanting Robin.

"Mrs Jenny, I have not had so much as a word with you since
yestereven!" said that gentleman reproachfully.

"No, in very deed," assented Jenny; "and I hear you go not into
Somerset, Mr Featherstone."

"No such luck!" lamented the valet. "I'm to be mewed up here. That
black crow yonder will rob me of all your sweet smiles, my charmer."

"Indeed he won't!" said Jenny. "I don't like the look of him, I can
tell you."

At that moment the new servant, and his partner, the dairy-maid, whisked
round close beside them, and Jenny saw, from the amused twinkle in his
dark eyes, that Jackson had overheard her disparaging remark.

"He looks as if he hadn't washed himself this week," observed Mr
Featherstone, whose complexion was fair.

"He's an ill-looking fellow," replied Jenny