“Pray was the cow to instruct you in dancing?” continued the Major.

“No, sir,” said Aurelia, whom he had addressed; “she was to be milked into the bowl of syllabub.”

This was received with a great “Ho! ho!” and a demand who was to act as milker.

“That was the best of it,” said Aurelia.  “Soon came Miss Herries in a straw hat, and the prettiest green petticoat under a white gown and apron, as a dairy-maid, but the cow would not stand still, for all the man who led her kept scolding her and saying ‘Coop! coop!’ No sooner had Miss Herries seated herself on the stool than Moolly swerved away, and it was a mercy that the fine china bowl escaped.  Every one was laughing, and poor Miss Herries was ready to cry, when forth steps my sister, coaxes the cow, bids the man lend his apron, sits down on the stool, and has the bowl frothing in a moment.”

“I would not have done so for worlds,” said Harriet; “I dreaded every moment to be asked where Miss Delavie learnt to be a milk-maid.”

“You were welcome to reply, in her own yard,” said Betty.  “You may thank me for your syllabub.”

“Which, after all, you forbade poor Aura to taste!”

“Assuredly.  I was not going to have her turn sick on my hands.  She may think herself beholden to me for her dance with that fine young beau.  Who was he, Aura?”

“How now!” said the Major, in a tone of banter, while Harriet indulged in a suppressed giggle.  “You let Aura dance with a stranger!  Where was your circumspection, Mrs. Betty?” Aurelia coloured to the roots of her hair and faltered, “It was Lady Herries who presented him.”

“Yes, the child is not to blame,” said Betty; “I left her in charge of Mrs. Churchill while I went to wash my hands after milking the cow, which these fine folk seemed to suppose could be done without soiling a finger.”

“That’s the way with Chloe and Phyllida in Arcadia,” said her father.

“But not here,” said Betty.  “In the house, I was detained a little while, for the housekeeper wanted me to explain my recipe for taking out the grease spots.”

“A little while, sister?” said Harriet.  “It was through the dancing of three minuets, and the country dance had long been begun.”

“I was too busy to heed the time,” said Betty, “for I obtained the recipe for those delicious almond-cakes, and showed Mrs. Waldron the Vienna mode of clearing coffee.  When I came back the fiddles were playing, and Aurelia going down the middle with a young gentleman in a scarlet coat.  Poor little Robert Rowe was too bashful to find a partner, though he longed to dance; so I made another couple with him, and thus missed further speech, save that as we took our leave, both Sir George and the Dean complimented me, and said what there is no occasion to repeat just now, sir, when I ought to be fetching your supper.”

“Ha!  Is it too flattering for little Aura?” asked her father.  “Come, never spare.  She will hear worse than that in her day, I’ll warrant.”