Incapable of understanding this purely sentimental view of a plain
matter of business, Henry returned to his papers, in some perplexity
at the sudden change in the manner of Agnes towards him.
Just as he found the letter of which he was in search, the nurse
made her appearance. He glanced at Agnes, expecting that she would
speak first. She never even looked up when the nurse came in.
It was left to Henry to tell the old woman why the bell had summoned her
to the drawing-room.
'Well, nurse,' he said, 'you have had a windfall of luck.
You have had a legacy left you of a hundred pounds.'
The nurse showed no outward signs of exultation. She waited a little
to get the announcement of the legacy well settled in her mind--
and then she said quietly, 'Master Henry, who gives me that money,
if you please?'
'My late brother, Lord Montbarry, gives it to you.' (Agnes instantly
looked up, interested in the matter for the first time. Henry went on.)
'His will leaves legacies to the surviving old servants of the family.
There is a letter from his lawyers, authorising you to apply to them
for the money.
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