It wasa house of character; built some time in the
eighteenth century.
I think we gave em something to think about, she
said, breakingoff another piece of cake. Shealways had the devils own temper, he
added.
She took off her hat and threw it on the
floor.
She started slightly, roused from her thoughts
about herchildhood, and separated the glasses.
Maggie stopped the machine for a moment and smiled.
She raised her hand with a curiousgesture to her face, as if she wanted to conceal
something.
No, no, Papa wants them kept, said
Eleanor.
She beamed on him so that her gold tooth
showed.
She had a face like a flower petal, and always wore
herpink carnation.
Itsthe great ladies manner, Eleanor thought
She wasexactly like the picture of old Uncle
Pargiter of Pargiters Horse.
He still insisted upon doingthings for himself.
Whoever it was waswaved by Rose to a seat in the corner, and the meeting went
on.
Then the spout of the tea-kettle puffed steam ather
and she moved it away.
The shoe-lace wasin a knot; she fumbled with
it.
And yet she felt that she had been herselfvery
interesting.
Rose had locked herself into the bathroom with a
knife and cut herwrist. And she would not have himlaughed at; for she was very fond
of her brother and very proud ofhim.
There were bedsteads, grates, pokers and odd pieces
of twisted ironon his barrow. Suddenly she saw the only point thatwas of any
importance.
Rose was handsome, but shewished she dressed
better. Perhaps he was justifying himself for having left the Army.
Miriam put down her papers; Mr Spicer rose.
Shewants to hide herself from me, Rose thought, as I want to hidemyself from
her.
She had been meeting Sir Edward at dinner. She
paused, gazing at the flowers in the middle of the tablewithout seeing them.