"How do you know I sha'n't be cross?" asked Stephen, knitting his brows, and pouting out his lips, till he looked formidable.

"Oh, because you never are. You'll only laugh at me, and you won't do that in an ugly way like some people. Now, Steenie, you _will_ help me to get a gown for Agnes?"

"Agnes, is it? I thought you meant Flemild."

"No, it's Agnes; and Ermine gave up her hood to help: but Agnes wants the gown worse than Ermine does a hood. You like them, you know, Steenie."

"Who told you that, my Lady Impertinence? Dear, dear, what pests these children are!"

"Now, Stephen, you know you don't think any thing of the sort, and you are going to help me this minute."

"How am I to help, I should like to know? I can't leave my gate."

"You can call somebody. Now do, Steenie, there's a darling cousin!--and I'll ask Mother to make you some of those little pies you like so much.

I will, really."

"You outrageous wheedler! I suppose I shall have no peace till I get rid of you.--Henry!"

A lad of about twelve years old, who was crossing the court-yard at the other side, turned and came up at the call.

"Will you take this maid in, and get her speech of c.u.mina? She's very good-natured, and if you tell her your story, Derette, I shouldn't wonder if she helps you."

"Oh, thank you, Steenie, so much!"

Derette followed Henry, who made faces at her, but gave her no further annoyance, into the servants' offices at the Castle, where he turned her unceremoniously over to the first person he met--a cook in a white cap and ap.r.o.n--with the short and not too civil information that--

"She wants c.u.mina."

The cook glanced carelessly at Derette.

"Go straight along the pa.s.sage, and up the stairs to the left," he said, and then went on about his own business.

Never before had Derette seen a house which contained above four rooms at the utmost. She felt in utter confusion amid stairs, doors, and corridors. But she managed to find the winding staircase at the end of the pa.s.sage, and to mount it, wishing much that so convenient a mode of access could replace the ladder in her mother's house. She went up till she could go no further, when she found herself on the top landing of a round tower, without a human creature to be seen. There were two doors, however; and after rapping vainly at both, she ventured to open one. It led to the leads of the tower. Derette closed this, and tried the other. She found it to open on a dark fathomless abyss,--the Castle well [Note 3], had she known it--and shut it quickly with a sensation of horror. After a moment's reflection, she went down stairs to the next landing.

Here there were four doors, and from one came the welcome sound of human voices. Derette rapped timidly on this. It was opened by a girl about the age of Flemild.

"Please," said Derette, "I was to ask for c.u.mina."

"Oh, you must go to the still-room," answered the girl, and would have shut the door without further parley, had not Derette intercepted her with a request to be shown where the still-room was.

With an impatient gesture, the girl came out, led Derette a little way along the corridor running from the tower, and pointed to a door on the left hand.

Derette's hopes rose again. She was one of those persons whom delays and difficulties do not weary out or render timid, but rather inspire to fresh and stronger action.

"Well, what do you want?" asked the pleasant-faced young woman who answered Derette's rap. "Please, is there somebody here called c.u.mina?"

"I rather think there is," was the smiling answer. "Is it you?"

"Ay. Come in, and say what you wish." Derette obeyed, and poured out her story, rather more lucidly than she had done to Stephen. c.u.mina listened with a smile.

"Well, my dear, I would give you a gown for your friend if I had it,"

she said good-humouredly; "but I have just sent the only one I can spare to my mother. I wonder who there is, now--Are you afraid of folks that speak crossly?"

"No," said Derette. "I only want to shake them." c.u.mina laughed.

"You'll do!" she said. "Come, then, I'll take you to Hagena. She's not very pleasant-spoken, but if any body can help you, she can. The only doubt is whether she will."

Derette followed c.u.mina through what seemed to her endless corridors opening into further and further corridors, till at last she asked in a tone of astonishment--

"How can you ever find your way?"

"Oh, you learn to do that very soon," said c.u.mina, laughing, as she opened the door of a long, low chamber. "Now, you must tread softly here, and speak very respectfully."

Derette nodded acquiescence, and they went in.

The room was lined with presses from floor to ceiling. On benches which stood back to back in its midst, several lengths of rich silken stuffs were spread out; and on other benches near the windows sat two or three girls busily at work. Several elder ladies were moving about the room, and one of them, a rather stout, hard-featured woman, was examining the girls' work. c.u.mina went up to her.

"If you please, Hagena," she said, "is there any where an old gown which it would please you to bestow on this girl, who has asked the boon?"

Hagena straightened herself up and looked at Derette.

"Is she the child of one of my Lord's tenants?"

"No," answered Derette. "My mother's house is her own."

"Well, if ever I heard such a.s.surance! Perchance, Madam, you would like a golden necklace to go with it?"

If Derette had not been on her good behaviour, Hagena would have received as much as she gave. But knowing that her only chance of success lay in civil and submissive manners, she shut her lips tight and made no answer.

"Who sent you?" pursued Hagena, who was the Countess's mistress of the household, and next in authority to her.

"n.o.body. I came of myself."

"_Ha, chetife_! I do wonder what the world's coming to! The impudence of the creature! How on earth did she get in? Just get out again as fast as you can, and come on such an errand again if you dare! Be off with you!"

Derette's voice trembled, but not with fear, as she turned back to c.u.mina. To Hagena she vouchsafed no further word.

"I did not know I was offending any body," she said, in a manner not devoid of childish dignity. "I was trying to do a little bit of good.

I think, if you please, I had better go home."

Derette's speech infuriated Hagena. The child had kept her manners and her dignity too, under some provocation, while the mistress of the household was conscious that she had lost hers.

"How dare--" she was beginning, when another voice made her stop suddenly.

"What has the child been doing? I wish to speak with her."

c.u.mina hastily stopped Derette from leaving the room, and led her up to the lady who had spoken and who had only just entered.

"What is it, my little maid?" she said kindly.