She wanted now to make herself and Stephen believe that she was
doing it out of love and forgiveness towards poor Bess; but she could not
succeed in the deception. All the Sunday morning she was bustling about,
and sadly chafing the grandfather by making him move hither and thither
out of the way. It was quite a new experience to have any one coming to
tea; and all her hospitable and housekeeping feelings were greatly
excited by the approaching event.
When Stephen, with tired little Nan riding on his shoulder, returned from
church in the afternoon, they found Bess had arrived, and was sitting in
the warmest corner, close to a very large and blazing fire, which filled
the cabin with light and heat. Bess had dressed herself up in her best
attire, in a bright red stuff gown, and with yellow ribbons tied in her
hair, which had been brought to a degree of smoothness wonderful to
Stephen, who saw her daily on the pit-bank. She had washed her face and
hands with so much care as to leave broad stripes of grime round her neck
and wrists, partly concealed by a necklace and bracelets of glass beads;
and her green apron was marvellously braided in a large pattern.
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