The Pigeon Pie | Page 4

petticoat, standing out full below
it, showed a very trim pair of ankles encased in scarlet stockings, and a
pair of bony red arms came forth from the full short sleeves of a sort of
white jacket, gathered in at the waist. She was clattering backwards and
forwards, removing the dinner things, and talking to the children as she
did so in a sharp shrill tone: "Such a racket as you make, to be sure, and
how you can have the heart to do so I can't guess, not I, considering
what may be doing this very moment."
"Oh, but Walter says they will all come back again, brother Edmund,
and Diggory, and all," said little Eleanor, "and then we shall be merry."
"Yes," said Lucy, who, though two years older, wore the same prim
round cap and long frock as her little sister, "then we shall have
Edmund here again. You can't remember him at all, Eleanor and
Charlie, for we have not seen him these six years!"
"No," said Deborah, the maid. "Ah! these be weary wars, what won't let
a gentleman live at home in peace, nor his poor servants, who have no
call to them."
"For shame, Deb!" cried Lucy; "are not you the King's own subject?"
But Deborah maundered on, "It is all very well for gentlefolks, but now
it had all got quiet again, 'tis mortal hard it should be stirred up afresh,
and a poor soul marched off, he don't know where, to fight with he
don't know who, for he don't know what."
"He ought to know what!" exclaimed Lucy, growing very angry. "I tell

you, Deb, I only wish I was a man! I would take the great two- handled
sword, and fight in the very front rank for our Church and our King!
You would soon see what a brave cavalier's daughter--son I mean,"
said Lucy, getting into a puzzle, "could do."
The more eager Lucy grew, the more unhappy Deborah was, and
putting her apron to her eyes, she said in a dismal voice, "Ah! 'tis little
poor Diggory wots of kings and cavaliers!"
What Lucy's indignation would have led her to say next can never be
known, for at this moment in bounced a tall slim boy of thirteen, his
long curling locks streaming tangled behind him. "Hollo!" he shouted,
"what is the matter now? Dainty Deborah in the dumps? Cheer up, my
lass! I'll warrant that doughty Diggory is discreet enough to encounter
no more bullets than he can reasonably avoid!"
This made Deborah throw down her apron and reply, with a toss of the
head, "None of your nonsense, Master Walter, unless you would have
me speak to my lady. Cry for Diggory, indeed!"
"She was really crying for him, Walter," interposed Lucy.
"Mistress Lucy!" exclaimed Deborah, angrily, "the life I lead among
you is enough--"
"Not enough to teach you good temper," said Walter. "Do you want a
little more?"
"I wish someone was here to teach you good manners," answered the
tormented Deborah. "As if it was not enough for one poor girl to have
the work of ten servants on her hands, here must you be mock, mock,
jeer, jeer, worrit, worrit, all day long! I had rather be a mark for all the
musketeers in the Parliamentary army."
This Deborah always said when she was out of temper, and it therefore
made Walter and Lucy laugh the more; but in the midst of their
merriment in came a girl of sixteen or seventeen, tall and graceful. Her
head was bare, her hair fastened in a knot behind, and in little curls
round her face; she had an open bodice of green silk, and a white dress
under it, very plain and neat; her step was quick and active, but her
large dark eyes had a grave thoughtful look, as if she was one who
would naturally have loved to sit still and think, better than to bustle
about and be busy. Eleanor ran up to her at once, complaining that
Walter was teasing Deborah shamefully. She was going to speak, but
Deborah cut her short.

"No Mistress Rose, I will not have even you excuse him, I'll go and tell
my lady how a poor faithful wench is served;" and away she flounced,
followed by Rose.
"Will she tell mamma?" asked little Charlie.
"Oh no, Rose will pacify her," said Lucy.
"I am sure I wish she would tell," said Eleanor, a much graver little
person than Lucy; "Walter is too bad."
"It is only to save Diggory the trouble of taking a crabstick to her when
he returns from the wars," said Walter. "Heigh ho!" and he threw
himself on the bench, and drummed on the table. "I wish I was there! I