“But how in the name of goodness could such a thing happen?”
“You lend me the money, aunt, and I’ll pay you back faithful, and I’ll trim you all your hats for three years for nothing into the bargain.”
But with an action of little bony hands which typified her patronymic, Miss Pounce seized the reticule from her niece. She shook it, and tested it; she held it up to the light, she pulled its lining out. Then she tried the clasp, which fastened with a snap as uncompromising as that which now closed her own tight jaws.
Still, without speaking, she looked volumes at the milliner’s assistant.
“I declare as I’m a living woman, aunt,” asseverated the sinner, “that I have no more notion what’s become of the gold than you have yourself. And all I can tell you is”—her courage rose with the sense of this perfect adherence to the truth—“that as I left this house it was jingling in that bag, and when last I looked there wasn’t one left. And if you don’t come to my aid—why, you know what Madame Tabbishaw is? She’ll always say I stole them. Come, you’ll lend me the money, I know you will, for father’s sake, and the name’s sake. We Pounces ain’t never been called thieves, aunt.”
Her voice shook, for suddenly the word stung her, unrepentant though she remained.
“Lend you!” Miss Lydia let herself fall into my lady’s own rosy-cushioned chair and broke into piercing remonstrance.
How in the name of goodness was she to find such a sum? Did Pamela think she was made of gold? Here was a return for all her kindness! A girl who was so wickedly careless—likely to keep her promises, indeed! She that ought to be racking her brains to pay back her dear auntie for all her sacrifices.
“Thirty pounds, miss, it cost me to send you to Paris, and you to be so unprincipled as to let Madame Eglantine’s husband take to ogling you. And it’s paying me back you ought to be, instead of having the brazenness to ask me for thirteen pounds. And indeed, miss, it’s not thirteen pounds I’ll give you; no, not a farthing more than the sum of the bill. You that might have had fourteen and tuppence!”
She suddenly broke off, sat up straight, and pointed a finger at her niece with a sharp throw.