Several of the servants who were generally occupied about the house had risen today with the lark, to be able to help their lady, and soon a busy, silent party was working in pantry and still room under the careful eye of the mistress.
One old woman who had been accommodated with a chair, though her fingers were as brisk as any of the younger girls', from time to time addressed a question or a remark to her lady, which was always kindly answered.

She was the old nurse of Chad, having been nurse to Sir Oliver in his infancy, and having since had charge of his three boys during their earliest years.

She was growing infirm now, and seldom left her own little room in a sunny corner of the big house, where her meals were taken her by one of the younger maids.
But in the warm weather, when her stiff limbs gained a little more power, she loved on occasion to come forth and take a share in the life of the house, and work with the busy wenches under the mistress's eye at the piles of fruit from the successive summer and autumn crops as they came in rotation.
"And where be the dear children ?" she asked once; "I have not set eyes on them the livelong day.

Methought the very smell of the cherries would have brought them hither, as bees and wasps to a honey pot." The lady smiled slightly.
"I doubt not they will be here anon; but doubtless they have paid many visits to the trees ere the store was garnered.

I think they are in the tilt yard with Warbel.