He made some little allusion to the time they had been with him.
“Two very short weeks,” said Elvira, “and you have been so very unusually kind, Mr. Archibald. You have done so much for us. We have noticed it. Is it usual for landlords to—to do so much, in the city?”
“It depends,” he said, gravely. “Landlords do more for people who are congenial—you are congenial——”
“Oh!” A slight pause.
“You are more than congenial, really,” said Archibald. “For you take an interest, Miss Price. I have secretly espied both you and your aunt dusting——”
Elvira bit her lip. “We have dusted,” she admitted, reddening a little, “but it is merely out of force of habit.”
“Really,” said Archibald, “I rawther like you the better for it, don’t you know!”
“I’m afraid,” said Elvira, her face lighting up with conscious pleasure, “that you have made up your mind as a landlord to like us, whatever we do. I’m afraid you would not like it at all if you knew everything that aunt has done.”
“Tell me—I will keep it a profound secret, I assure you,” he laughed.
“She has actually dared to invade your kitchen!”