“I am sorry if you have reason to complain of the conduct of my household. I was not aware of this, and will take immediate measures for the punishment of any servant you may point out as having shown you discourtesy.”
“O, all’s one for that!” cried Moll, with a toss. “I can look after myself. Only don’t talk about my presumption in treating you with the familiarity that you treat me, or be so sure of the holy propriety of your house in everything where I’m not concerned.”
He looked at her with a gloomy perplexity, but did not answer.
“Liberties!” cried Mrs. Moll, snapping her fingers. “But where the master sets the example, the mistress can’t be blamed for following him, I suppose.”
“Do you allude to her ladyship?” he demanded.
“Yes, I do,” she answered, with a saucy laugh.
“To what ‘liberties’ do you refer—as applied to yourself, perhaps?”
“Myself be damned!” cried the lady. “I talk of her being closeted alone, in her private apartments, with gentlemen visitors.”
His lordship started and stiffened, as suddenly rigid as a frog popped into boiling water.
“What visitors?” he said, in a suffocated voice.