Martha's head had all this time been thrust out of the easement, her gaze apparently fixed on a birdcage hung from a hook near the shutter.
Bart caught her eye and whispered to Lucy that that "old spy-cat" was watching them; whereupon Lucy faced about, waved her hand to the old nurse, and turning quickly, raced up the orchard and out of sight, followed by Bart carrying a shawl for them to sit upon.
After that Martha, unconsciously, perhaps, to herself, kept watch, so far as she could, upon their movements, without, as she thought, betraying herself: making excuses to go to the village when they two went off together in that direction; traversing the orchard, ostensibly looking for Meg when she knew all the time that the dog was sound asleep in the woodshed; or yielding to a sudden desire to give the rascal a bath whenever Lucy announced that she and Bart were going to spend the morning down by the water.
As the weeks flew by and Lucy had shown no willingness to assume her share of any of the responsibilities of the house,--any that interfered with her personal enjoyment,--Jane became more and more restless and unhappy.

The older village people had shown her sister every attention, she said to herself,--more than was her due, considering her youth,--and yet Lucy had never crossed any one of their thresholds.

She again pleaded with the girl to remember her social duties and to pay some regard to the neighbors who had called upon her and who had shown her so much kindness; to which the happy-hearted sister had laughed back in reply: "What for, you dear sister?
These old fossils don't want to see me, and I'm sure I don't want to see them.

Some of them give me the shivers, they are so prim." It was with glad surprise, therefore, that Jane heard Lucy say in Martha's hearing one bright afternoon: "Now, I'm going to begin, sister, and you won't have to scold me any more.

Everyone of these old tabbies I will take in a row: Mrs.
Cavendish first, and then the Cromartins, and the balance of the bunch when I can reach them.