Cousin Kate Read Free Page B

common abigail!' replied Sarah bitterly.
    At this disclosure, the younger Mr Nidd looked very much shocked, and said that she must not be allowed to do it. He added diffidently: 'If she'd lower herself to live here, with you to take care of her, we'd be proud to have her, wouldn't we Father?'
    'It's no matter what we'd be: it wouldn't fit!' responded Mr Nidd unhesitatingly. 'If you'd ever had any wits I'd be wondering where they'd gone a-begging! How I come to have a son that was no better than a chawbacon is something I'll never know, not if I live to be a hundred!'
    'No! Nor I'll never know how you came to have a son with such a good heart!' snapped Sarah, rising instantly to Joe's defence. A mumbled remonstrance from him caused her to pat his hand, and to say in a mollified tone: 'I'm sure I don't want to offend you, Father, but I won't have you miscalling Joe. Not but what he's right, Joe: it wouldn't fit! But how to stop her doing what's beneath her I don't know! Perhaps your father does, so long-headed as he is!'
    'You can lay your life I do!' said Mr Nidd, a gleam of triumph in his eye. To think I've a longer head than you, Sarey! What Miss Kate's got to have is a home with her own kin.'
    'Ay! she did ought to have that!' agreed his son, much struck by this display of wisdom.
    'I said it when the Major took and died, and I'll say it again,' pursued Mr Nidd. 'Her relations ought to be wrote to. And don't you pitch me any gammon about her not having none, like you did afore, Sarey, because it's hornswoggle! We all got kin of some sort.'
    'Yes,' said Sarah slowly. 'But there's none left on my mistress' side but her sister, and if she'd lift a finger to help Miss Kate she's mightily changed since I knew her! What's more, Miss Kate wouldn't have anything to say to that set, nor I wouldn't wish her to, the way they behaved to her mama! I don't say she hasn't maybe got some cousins, but I don't know who they are, or where they live, or anything about them. And as for the Major, I never heard tell of any relations other than his half-sister, and he paid no more heed to her than she did to him. She married a titled gentleman that had a place called Staplewood, which made the Major laugh out when he read about it, telling my mistress that there was never anyone more ambitious than his sister, and the only thing that surprised him was that she was content with a baronet, instead of having set her cap at a duke, or a marquis, or some such. Still, I fancy he must be a high-up baronet, because the Major said: "Well done, Minerva! Broome of Staplewood, no less!" And my mistress told me that it was a very old family, that had lived at this Staplewood since I don't know when, and all as proud as peacocks. But I don't know where it may be, nor it wouldn't signify if I did, for the Major said his sister had risen quite beyond his touch now, and if he got more than a common bow from her, if ever they was to meet again, he'd have nothing more to do than bless himself for his good fortune, supposing he didn't suffer a palsy-stroke!' Her eyes filled. She wiped away the sudden tears, saying: 'He was always so full of fun and gig, poor dear gentleman! Whenever I think of the way —But it's no manner of use thinking of what's done, and can't be undone! The thing is that it isn't to be expected that she'd do anything to help Miss Kate, when she'd got to be too proud to behave civil to her own brother. Besides, I don't know where she lives!'
    'That don't signify,' said Mr Nidd impatiently. 'There's books as will tell you where the nobles and the landed gentry lives! Ah, and there's directories, too! What I'm thinking is that a starched-up lady wouldn't wish for her niece to be hiring herself out like Miss Kate means to—Now, what's the matter with you, Joe?'
    The younger Mr Nidd, who had been sitting with his brow furrowed in painful cogitation, opening his mouth as if to speak, and shutting it again, gulped, and answered diffidently that he