The cherry crop was being gathered in today.  Huge baskets of the delicious fruit were ranged along one wall of the still room, and busy hands were already preparing the bright berries for the preserving pan or the rows of jars that were likewise placed in readiness to receive them.  The cherry trees of Chad were famous for their splendid crop, and the mistress had many wonderful recipes and preparations by which the fruit was preserved and made into all manner of dainty conserves that delighted all who partook of them.

“I will come anon, and help you with your task,” said the lady to the busy wenches in the still room, who were hard at work preparing the fruit.  “I will return as soon as I have made my round, and see that all is going well.”

The girls smiled, and dropped their rustic courtesies.  Some amongst them were not the regular serving maids of the place, but were the daughters of the humbler retainers living round and about, who were glad to come to assist at the great house when there was any press of work—­a thing that frequently happened from April to November.

None who assisted at Chad at such times ever went away empty handed.  Besides the small wage given for the work done, there was always a basket of fruit, or a piece of meat, or a flagon of wine, according to the nature of the task, set aside for each assistant who did not dwell beneath the roof of Chad.  And if there was sickness in any cottage from which a worker came, there was certain to be some little delicacy put into a basket by the hands of the mistress, and sent with a kindly word of goodwill and sympathy to the sufferer.

It was small wonder, then, that the household and community of Chad was a happy and peaceable one, or that the knight and his lady were beloved of all around.

The morning’s round was no sinecure, even though the mistress was today as quick as possible in her visit of inspection.  Three fat bucks had been brought in from the forest yester-eve, when the knight and his sons had returned from hunting.  The venison had to be prepared, and a part of it dried and salted down for winter use; whilst of course a great batch of pies and pasties must be put in hand, so that the most should be made of the meat whilst it was still fresh.

When that matter had been settled, there were the live creatures to visit—­the calves in their stalls, the rows of milch kine, and the great piggery, where porkers of every kind and colour were tumbling about in great excitement awaiting their morning meal.  The mistress of the house generally saw the pigs fed each day, to insure their having food proper to them, and not the offal and foul remnants that idle servants loved to give and they to eat were not some supervision exercised.  The care of dogs and horses the lady left to her husband and sons, but the cows, the pigs, and the poultry she always looked after herself.