"You can come in," she smiled, as he continued to stand in the doorway. "You can even sit down." She pointed to a chair, not far from her own, going on again with her stitching, so as to avoid the necessity for further greeting. "I suppose you wonder what I'm doing," she pursued, when he had seated himself.
"I'm not wondering at that so much as whether you ought to be doing it."
"I can relieve your mind on that score. It's a case, too, in which duty and pleasure jump together; for the delight of handling beautiful linen is like nothing else in the world."
"It seems to me like servants' work," he said, bluntly.
"Possibly; but I can do servants' work at a pinch—especially when I like it."
"I don't," he declared.
"But then you don't have to do it."
"I mean that I don't like it for you."
"Even so, you wouldn't forbid my doing it, would you?"
"I wish I had the right to. I've come here this afternoon to ask you again if you won't give it to me."