rry would pout a little, and think it a hard
thing that she had been born a Puritan's daughter; but on the whole
she was happy and contented enough, only she did reckon the rule of
Aunt Susan in her father's house as something of a hardship.

But it did not do to offend that worthy dame, who was the very
model of all housewives, and whose careful management and excellent
cookery caused Martin Holt's house to be something of a proverb and
a pattern to other folks' wives. So now the girl replied
submissively:

"I need not spin, an it please thee not, aunt. Hast thou aught for
me to do below?"

"Ay, plenty, child, if thou canst give thy mind to work. Abraham
Dyson and Anthony Cole sup with us tonight, and I am making a
herring pie."

A herring pie was a serious undertaking in the domestic economy of
the house on the bridge, and Mistress Susan prided herself on her
skill in the concoction of this delicate dish above almost any
other achievement. She had a mysterious receipt of her own for it,
into the secret of which she would let no other living soul, not
even the dutiful nieces who assisted at the manufacture of the
component parts. Cherry heaved a sigh when she heard what was in
prospect, but laid aside her distaff and proceeded to don a great
coarse apron, and to unbutton and turn back her sleeves, leaving
her pretty round white arms bare for her culinary task. But there
was a little pucker of perplexity and vexation on her forehead,
which was not caused by any distaste of cookery.

"If Uncle Abraham comes, sure he will bring Jacob with him; he
always does. If it were Rachel I would not mind; but I cannot abear
Jacob, with his great hairy hands and fat cheeks. And if I be pert
to him, my father chides; and if I be kind, he makes me past all
patience with his rolling eyes and foolish ways and words. I know
what they all think; but I'll none of him! He had better try for
Kezzie, who would jump down his throat as soon as look at him. She
fair rails on me for not treating him well. Let her take him
herself, the loutish loon!"

And tossing her head so that her coverchief required readjusting,
Cherry slipped down the narrow wooden staircase into the rooms that
lay below.

Kitchen and dining parlour occupied the whole of this floor, which
was not the ground floor of the house. That was taken up by the
shop, in which Martin Holt's samples of wools and stuffs were
exposed. He was more (to borrow a modern expression) i