Isabel seldom roused herself to understand anything about her servants; but she liked Marianne, and was glad Clara should have her, since she was not strong enough to undertake nursery cares.  She believed it had not agreed with her to sit up late.  Compunction for having been the cause had never dawned on Isabel’s mind.

Charlotte was to remain at Dynevor Terrace; James and Isabel wished to keep her, and Mrs. Beckett thought her sufficiently indoctrinated with her ways to have some chance of going on well.  ‘Besides,’ as Jane said, ’I can’t be accountable for taking her into that large family, until I see what company there may be.  She’s a well-behaved girl enough, but she’s too pretty and too simple-like for me to have her among the common run of servants.  I’ll see what I can do for her, when I see what sort of a housekeeper it is.’

And Jane gave Charlotte infinite injunctions, varying from due care of the ‘chaney images’ to reserve with mankind.  ’Because you see, Charlotte’ she said, ’you’ll be terribly forsaken.  Mrs. James, poor dear!—­she would not know if the furniture weren’t rubbed once in ten years; but you must make it a pride to yourself to be faithful.’

‘I am faithful!’ cried Charlotte.  ’I never cared for that traitor, Delaford, and his guitar; but I could not get rid of him.  And I’ll tell you what—­I’ll seal up his fine red book, and all his verses; and you shall leave them in London as you go through, with my compliments.  I think that will be proper and scornful.’

’Hoity-toity!  That’s what she’s at!  The best thing you can do too, Charlotte; and I’m glad that you’ve too much spirit to pine like poor Marianne.  I’d take my affidavit that if the crowner could sit upon her when she dies—­and die she will—­that there fine gentleman and his guitar will be found at the bottom of her chest.  But don’t go off about that now—­though ’tis the reason I won’t part from the poor thing till I can help—­the better luck for you that you’d got more in your head than vanities and furbelows.  What I meant was not being faithful to him out in Peru—­that’s your own affair, but the being faithful to your duty to your mistress, whether she’s after you or not.  You know what a good servant is, and you’ve got to show it ain’t all eye-service.’

Charlotte cried heartily.  No one else was allowed that privilege when the 13th came, excepting Mrs. Frost herself.  James, afraid that a scene would hurt his wife, severely forbade Clara to give way; and the poor girl, mute and white, did as she was told, and ventured not a word of farewell, though her embraces were convulsive, and when she went down stairs she could not help kissing Charlotte.

James handed his grandmother to her seat in the carriage which was to take her to the station.

‘Good-bye, my dear,’ she said; ’I know the day will come when all this will be made up.  You know how I have loved you both.’