There were not many people to see
the greenery and bright holly-berries which embellished the grave old
rooms, not many whom Ellen very much cared for to taste the pies and
puddings; but duty must be done, and the bailiff's daughter did her work
with a steady industry which knew no wavering.
Her life had been a hard one of late, very lonely since Mrs. Holbrook's
disappearance, and haunted with a presence which was most hateful to
her. Stephen Whitelaw had taken to coming to the Grange much oftener than
of old. There was seldom an evening now on which his insignificant figure
was not to be seen planted by the hearth in the snug little oak-parlour,
smoking his pipe in that dull silent way of his, which was calculated to
aggravate a lively person like Ellen Carley into some open expression of
disgust or dislike. Of late, too, his attentions had been of a more
pronounced character; he took to dropping sly hints of his pretensions,
and it was impossible for Ellen any longer to doubt that he wanted her to
be his wife. More than this, there was a tone of assurance about the man,
quiet as he was, which exasperated Miss Carley beyond all measure. He had
the air of being certain of success, and on more than one occasion spoke
of the day when Ellen would be mistress of Wyncomb Farm.
On his repetition of this offensive speech one evening, the girl took him
up sharply:--
"Not quite so fast, if you please, Mr.
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