In my catalogue of the little library at the cottage, I forgot to mention a book of Common Prayer.

My reader's fancy might easily have supplied the omission--old ladies of Margaret's stamp (God bless them!) may as well be without their spectacles, or their elbow-chair, as their prayer-book--I love them for it.
Margaret's was a handsome octavo, printed by Baskerville, the binding red, and fortified with silver at the edges.

Out of this book it was their custom every afternoon to read the proper psalms appointed for the day.
The way they managed was this: they took verse by verse--Rosamund _read_ her little portion, and Margaret repeated hers in turn, from memory--for Margaret could say all the Psalter by heart, and a good part of the Bible besides.

She would not unfrequently put the girl right when she stumbled or skipped.

This Margaret imputed to giddiness--a quality which Rosamund was by no means remarkable for--but old ladies, like Margaret, are not in all instances alike discriminative.
They had been employed in this manner just before Miss Clare arrived at the cottage.