LARMS, AND WARNINGS.

The days that followed were strange and very trying. It was not at all
easy for any of them to settle down to the new life. Kitty, though, did
not feel the giving up of the keys and the _role_ of housekeeper as much
as she had expected to; for, in the first place, the keys had generally
been lost, and in the second, she had never really "kept house" in the
true meaning of the term, and it really was a great relief to find the
meals appearing regularly and satisfactorily without any effort on her
part, or, perhaps, one should say, without any remorse, or occasion for
remorse, for not having made any effort.

It was really a comfort, too, not to have to try to manage the servants,
or blame herself for not doing so. But, on the other hand, they all
missed their freedom dreadfully--their freedom of speech and act, their
freedom in getting up and going to bed, in their goings and comings; for
Aunt Pike believed, quite rightly, of course, in punctuality and early
rising, and keeping oneself profitably employed, and she disapproved
strongly of their roaming the country over, as they had done, as
strongly as she disapproved of their sitting on garden walls, wandering
in and out of stables, coach-house, and kitchen, talking to the
servants, or teasing Jabez.

Jabez grew quite moped during the weeks that followed, for he was not
even allowed to come into the kitchen for a comforting cup of tea as of
old. "And if anybody can't have a bit of a clack sometimes," groaned
poor Jabez, "nor a cup of tea neither, why he might so well be dumb to
once. I've ackshally got to talk to the 'orses and the cat to keep my
powers of speech from leaving me."

Life seemed very dull and dreary to all the household, except, perhaps,
to Mrs. Pike and Dr. Trenire. The latter was too busy just then to
realize the changes going on in his home; while Mrs. Pike was fully
occupied with all that lay at her hand to do.

Anna's presence did not add at all to the liveliness of the house.
She was shy and nervous. Of Dan she was, or pretended to be, quite
afraid, and if she happened to have blossomed into talk during his
absence, she would stop the moment he appeared--a habit which annoyed
him extremely. To Betty, who was to have been her special companion,
she showed no desire to attach herself, but to Kitty she clung in a most
embarrassing fashion, monopolizing her in a way that Kitty found most
irksome, and made Betty furious,