"A fire? I am heartily glad of it, 'tis the very thing I want; I am glad you thought of it, Williams."
"The housemaid would have lighted it in one of the drawing-rooms, my lord, but cook said they would smoke she knew, as they have not swept the chimneys for a long time. Lady Anne would not spend a shilling on them after they were let;—not a shilling."
Lord Meersbrook smiled, drew near the fire, and resumed his book, but in a short time found the room insufferably hot, and repaired to the window, glad to see the rain had ceased, and the day gave promise of a ride ere long. Whilst looking out, he perceived the old woman, peering into the area, whom he had seen before. After a time she touched the bell, with great caution; the cook appeared, to whom she gave a slip of paper, on which the woman vanished, leaving the little pedlar of small wares standing on the steps, where she had already placed her basket, in which were a few laces for stays, a half-sheet of pins, two or three balls of cotton, and a couple of bonnets, so small, Lord Meersbrook wondered to what lillyputian race they could be useful, having no acquaintance with the family of dolls.
The cook soon returned with the very hand-screens he had been admiring, and one or two other small affairs, which she laid carefully into the basket; it was an evident case of robbery. The young noble man rang the bell violently, and ordered his man to seize the woman and her basket, and bring her into
