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Greatly to her annoyance, Wharton came forward to her help, guaranteeing the solvency and permanence of her new partnership in glib and pleasant phrase, wherein her angry fancy suspected at once the note of irony. But Mrs. Jellison held firm, embroidering her negative, indeed, with her usual cheerful chatter, but sticking to it all the same.
"Lady Winterbourne and I," said Marcella, smiling. "We're going to employ this village and two others, and make as good business of it as we can. But we're going to begin by giving the workers better wages, and in time we hope to teach them the higher kinds of work." "Lor'!" said Mrs. Jellison. "But I'm not one o' them as kin do with changes." She took up her plait and looked at it thoughtfully.
Jellison had this small belief in the powers of the new mistress of Mellor over matters which, according to her, had been settled generations ago by "the Lord and natur'," Marcella certainly was in no mood to contradict her.
I have made acquaintance with these people so far, as my constituents now show them to me as your subjects. Besides, I am an observer. I 'collect' peasants. They are my study." "They are not my subjects, but my friends," she said with the same stiffness. They found Mrs. Jellison having her dinner.
The others laughed out, Marcella at their head, and Mrs. Jellison subsided, the corners of her mouth still twitching, and her eyes shining as though a host of entertaining notions were trooping through her which, however, she preferred to amuse herself with rather than the public. Marcella looked at Patton thoughtfully. "You've been all your life in this village, haven't you, Mr.
He cleared his throat again, and tried to forget Mrs. Jellison, who would be sure to let him hear of it again, whatever he said. "Well, I can't answer for 'em, miss, I'm sure, but if you ast me, I b'lieve ther's a bit o' boath in it. Yer see it's not in human natur, when a man's young and 's got his blood up, as he shouldn't want ter have 'is sport with the wild creeturs.
Them as have got 'ull keep" he let his stick sharply down on the floor "an' them as 'aven't got 'ull 'ave to go without and lump it as long as you're alive, miss, you mark my words!" "Oh, Lor', you wor allus one for makin' a poor mouth, Patton!" said Mrs. Jellison. She had been sitting with her arms folded across her chest, part absent, part amused, part malicious.
Jellison, she came in along o' the Pattons. You can't say her no, she's a queer one. Do you know her, miss?" "Oh, bless yer, yes, yes. She knows me!" said a high, jocular voice, making Mrs. Hurd start; "she couldn't be long hereabouts without makkin' eëaste to know me. You coom in, miss. We're not afraid o' you Lor' bless you!" Mrs.
Brunt, with a sigh, "though she took a deal more lookin' after nor your good man, Mrs. Jellison." Mrs. Brunt was a gentle, pretty old woman, who lived in another of the village almshouses, next door to the Pattons, and was always ready to help her neighbours in their domestic toils.
Marcella could not bring herself to say good-night to her, and was hurrying on without a word, when Mrs. Jellison stopped her. "An' 'ow about that straw-plaitin', miss?" she said slyly. "I have had to put it on one side for a bit," said Marcella, coldly, hating the woman's society. "I have had my hands full and Lady Winterbourne has been away, but we shall, of course, take it up again later."
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