"I should ask Emmeline to help me." Emmeline was Lady Birkett, the wife of Mrs. Clinton's brother, the judge.
"Not a bad idea," said the Squire. "But I won't have any of your suffragettes. Herbert is a very good fellow, but he's a most pestilent Radical."
"You would let me offer a good salary, I suppose."
"What do we pay Miss Bird?"
"Only thirty pounds a year. She has never asked for more."
"She's a good old creature. I'm sorry for her sister. Is she well off, do you know?"
"I'm afraid very badly off."
"Then how will they get on? I suppose Miss Bird has saved a bit. She's had no expenses here except her clothes for many years."
"She told me she had saved about four hundred pounds."
"Has she? Out of thirty pounds a year! It's extraordinary. Still, that won't give her much, capitalised, poor old creature. I'll tell you what, Nina, I'll talk it over with Dick and see if we can't fix up a little annuity for her. She's served us well and faithfully all these years, and we ought to do something for her."