A few days before Christmas Rachel Harvey again took leave of
Beechcroft, with a promise that she would make them another visit
when Eleanor came home. Before she went she gave Emily a useful
caution, telling her it was not right to trust her keys out of her
own possession. It was what Miss Mohun never would have done, she
had never once committed them even to Rachel.
'With due deference to Eleanor,' said Emily, with her winning smile,
'we must allow that that was being over cautious.'
Rachel smiled, but her lecture was not averted by the compliment.
'It might have been very well since you have known me, Miss Emily,
but I do not know what would have come of it, if I had been too much
trusted when I was a giddy young thing like Esther; that girl comes
of a bad lot, and if anything is to be made of her, it is by keeping
temptation out of her way, and not letting her be with that mother of
hers.'
Rachel had rather injured the effect of her advice by behaving too
like a mistress during her visit; Emily had more than once wished
that all servants were not privileged people, and she was more
offended than convinced by the remonstrance.
CHAPTER XIV--CHRISTMAS
'Slee, sla, slud,
Stuck in the mud,
O! it is pretty to wade through a flood,
Come, wheel round,
The dirt we have found,
Would he an estate at a farthing a pound.
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