A PAIR OF HANDS

Arthur Quiller-Couch

 The story started with a conversation among the ladies (Miss Le Petyt, Miss Blanche, narrator & other ladies)

 Miss Le Petyt moved to Tresillack in Cornwall.

At Tresillack, she met the housekeeper, Mrs. Carkeek. She found that all the housework are well done in odd little ways.

 One day, Miss Le Petyt unclogged the pipe because there were no water in the pantry.
The second night after that, Miss Le Petyt heard the sound of water trickling . She woke up twice to turn off the tap.

 She saw two small hands which she believed belong to a girl.
She told Mrs. Carkeek in the morning of what she saw in the pantry. Mrs. Carkeek told Miss Le Petyt the connection of Tresillack and the little girl, Margaret, Squire Kendalls daughter.

 Mrs. Carkeek told the stories of the past tenants of the house and how Margaret loves Miss Le Petyt.
After the incident, Miss Le Petyt and Mrs. Carkeek had a good relationship with each other and also with Margaret.

 After three years, Miss Le Petyt left Tresillack because it was sold to Colonel Kendall, brother of the late owner of the house.
Before leaving the house, Miss Le Petyt whispered for Margaret to say farewell.

She could feel Margarets pair of hands rested in hers.

Biographical
Miss Le Petyt lived in Tresillack, Cornwall Arthur Quiller-Couch was born at Bodmin in Cornwall Some descriptions of Cornwall by the author are included in the stories

 Tresillack was the name of the house, which stood quite alone at the head of a coombe, within sound of the sea but without sight of it; for though the coombe led down to a wide open beach, it wound and twisted half a dozen times on its way, and its overlapping sides closed the view from the house, which was advertised as 'secluded.
**Cornwall

Feminist
Most of the characters mentioned in the story are women. e.g. Miss Le Petyt, Mrs. Carkeek, Miss Blanche Only some men are mentioned Farmer Hosking, Squire Kendall, Colonel Kendall.

 The women are described as independent.

Miss Le Petyt lived independently at Tresillack. but I was young enough to be romantic and wise enough to like independence,

 Mrs. Carkeek worked in Tresillack after her husbands death. Yes; she was wife to my late hind. She worked to make her own living after her husband died.

Social
Domestic violence was mentioned in the story The previous tenant a family of four The parents were heavy drinker and always abuse their children They beat those children, miss--your blood would boil!-and starved, and tortured 'em, it's my belief.