"Then I've lost nothing," said Mrs. Gaunt.
"Not you. Well, I don't know. Mayhap if you had been there he'd have preached his best. But la, we weren't worth it."
At this conjecture Mrs. Gaunt's face burned; but she said nothing: only she cut the interview short, and dismissed Betty with her bundle.
As Betty crossed the landing, Mrs. Gaunt's new lady's-maid, Caroline Ryder, stepped accidentally, on purpose, out of an adjoining room, in which she had been lurking, and lifted her black brows in affected surprise. "What, are you going to strip the house, my woman?" said she, quietly.
Betty put down the bundle, and set her arms akimbo. "There is none on't stolen, any way," said she.
Caroline's black eyes flashed fire at this, and her cheek lost colour; but she parried the innuendo skilfully.
"Taking my perquisites on the sly, that is not so very far from stealing."
"Oh, there's plenty left for you, my fine lady. Besides, you don't want her; you can set your cap at the master, they say. I'm too old for that, and too honest into the bargain."
"Too ill-favoured, you mean, ye old harridan," said Ryder, contemptuously.
But, for reasons hereafter to be dealt with. Betty's thrust went home: and the pair were mortal enemies from that hour.