here, Dolly opened the door from an adjoining light
closet, with her sleeves rolled up to her elbows and her arms dusted
with flour. Seeing somebody whom she did not know, Dolly retreated,
shutting the door after her.

"Whom have you got there, Mrs. Jersey?" said the lady, forgetting what
she had come about. "That girl is too handsome to be among the maids."

"She's not among the maids, my lady. She is not in the house. She only
came to get some instruction from me, which I was very glad to give
her?"

"Of course. That is quite in your way. But she does not belong in the
village, I think?"

"No, my lady, nor hereabouts at all, properly. She lives in Brierley
Cottage; she and her mother; I believe the father is there now and by
times, but they live alone mostly, and he is in London. They have been
much better off; and last year they went travelling all through Europe.
I thought I should never see them again; but here they are back, and
have been for a year."

"I think I have heard of them. Are they poor?"

"I am much afraid so, my lady."

"Would it do any good, Jersey, if I went there?"

"It would be a great kindness, my lady. I think it might do good."

The final result of all which was a visit. It was now full summer; the
season had come into its full bloom and luxuriance. Roses were opening
their sweet buds all around Brierley Cottage; the honeysuckles made the
porch into an arbour; the garden was something of a wilderness, but a
wilderness of lovely, old-fashioned things. One warm afternoon, Dolly
with a shears in her hand had gone out into the garden to cut off the
full-blown roses, which to-morrow would shed their leaves; doing a
little trimming by the way, both of rose-bushes and other things; the
wildering of the garden had been so great. And very busy she was, and
enjoying it; "cutting in" here, and "cutting out" there, flinging the
refuse shoots and twigs carelessly from her into the walk to be
gathered up afterwards. She was so busy she never heard the roll of
carriage wheels, never heard them stop, nor the gate open; knew
nothing, in fact, but the work she was busy with, till a slight sound
on the gravel near by made her look round. Then she saw at one glance
the lady standing there in laces and feathers, the carriage waiting
outside the gate, and the servants in attendance around it. Dolly shook
herself free of the roses and stepped forward, knowing very well who it
must be. A little fresh colour