"You don't keep your voice at your fingers' ends, do you?" asked Mrs. Leighton.
It seemed superb nonsense to her that Jean should not take lessons at home. Isobel marvelled to find that the real difficulty in the way of Jean's getting was this mild obstinacy of Mrs. Leighton's.
"I can tell Jean of such a nice place to live--with girls," said Isobel. "And I know the master she ought to have."
"And we can't all vegetate here for ever," said poor Jean.
Nothing ever cost Mr. Leighton the wrench that this cost him, but he prepared to let Jean go.
Mabel and Elma would rather anything than that had happened just then. It had the effect of making Isobel more particular in being with Mabel rather than with Jean. Had she sounded the fact that with all Jean's protestations, Mabel was the much desired--that people were more keen on having the Leighton's when Mabel was of the party! Elma began to speculate on this until she was ashamed of herself.
They played up for Jean at this juncture as though she were going away for ever. One would have thought there was nothing to be had in London from the manner in which they provided for her. Even Lance appeared with a kettle and spirit lamp for making tea.
"You meet in each other's rooms and talk politics and mend your stockings," said he, "and you take turns to make tea. I know all about it."
Maud Hartley gave her a traveller's pincushion, and May Turberville a neat hold-all for jewellery.
Jean stuck in her two brooches, one bangle, a pendant and a finger ring.