Mistress of the House Read Free Page B

her work, perhaps she resented their not waiting tea for her, perhaps she was normally a person of few words. Laurie did not judge her at all. She reserved judgment, waiting for Jess to show herself. But Jessica did not speak to anybody, until nearly the end of the meal, when she asked if Max would like her to help with the milking.
    “Reg is out there,” he said. “I’ve put him back on the milking for the time being. I was out there before tea, so he should be almost finished by now.”
    Jess sank back into silence, and as soon as Max excused himself and went back to his office, she left the table too, and went out of the room.
    “Well, now, Miss Giles, I expect you’d like to go up to your room. I hope you’ll find it comfortable. If there’s anything you need, don’t mind asking.” Mrs. Lorney led the way out of the kitchen into the hall. All Laurie’s bags had disappeared. “Max will have taken them up,” said his mother, and they went up the stairs.
    The room was large and light. Its two windows looked over interesting views. It was furnished with good, old furniture and was very pleasant. Laurie thought it was a lovely room and said so.
    “Well, I’ll leave you to your unpacking. The bathroom is at the end of the passage. We have supper at about seven.”
    Laurie did not immediately unpack. She went to the window that looked over the rolling fields and woods and leaned on the window sill. It was getting dusk now, but even so, she was enchanted by the half-tones.
    Supper in the kitchen proved to be a good and big meal. The curtains had been drawn and the lamps lit, and the fire in the range glowed red. Roger was introduced to her, a tall, well-built man, fairer than his brother, not quite so good looking, but with an attractive smile and an apparently equable temper.
    After supper, Jessica began to clear away the dishes, while Max and Roger took their papers and their pipes to the fire. Mrs. Lorney sat still in her chair, looking tired, so that Laurie jumped up and asked to be allowed to help with the dishes. Jessica was on her way out of the room with a loaded tray, but she stopped at once and looked back.
    “Indeed, no,” she said. “We can manage quite well by ourselves, thanks.”
    Laurie paused. She was about to insist, thinking that Jessica’s refusal was the usual politeness, but she saw that Jessica’s face was hostile and that she did not want her to help, so she turned back to the table, folded her napkin, put it into its ring, and stood, a little forlorn, wondering what she was expected to do.
    “Come along, Miss Giles,” said Max’s voice from the fireside. She looked at him, and found his pleasant smile directed at her. “Come and take a chair. I don’t know if you’ve seen the day’s papers. We don’t get round to them until the evening, usually.” He pulled her chair closer to the fire, offered her a paper, trying to make her feel at home and to atone for Jessica’s rudeness.

 
    CHAPTER TWO
    Next morning, Laurie was awakened early by the sounds of farm activity. While she was still struggling from sleep, she could not identify the peculiar sounds that came from beneath her window, but afterwards she discovered that somebody was calling to the cows, who were, apparently, on their way to the sheds for the morning milking.
    When she went down to breakfast, she was wearing a business-like grey suit with a heavy silk blouse under it. Her brown hair shone. She looked clean and fresh and well groomed, as indeed, she always did. She came into the kitchen to find Mrs. Lorney bending over the stove, and an aroma of bacon that made her mouth water.
    “Good morning,” she said.
    “Good morning. It’s all ready for you. Sit down at the table, and I’ll dish it up.”
    Laurie saw that two places were laid, and hoped that she hadn’t kept Mrs. Lorney waiting.
    “Oh, no. You won’t keep anybody waiting. Breakfast is a spreading meal in this house. I had mine long ago.”
    “Would