"In your own way. You neither ask nor take advice——"
"At any rate, Miss Marsham is satisfied with me—she told me so last week." She felt it undignified to be justifying herself, but she feared that silent contempt would be lost on Miss Vigers. Also, such an attitude was not easy to Alwynne; she had a tongue; when she was angry, the brutal effectiveness of Billingsgate must always tempt her.
Henrietta countered coldly—
"I am sorry that I shall be obliged to undeceive her; that is, unless you apologise——"
"To Miss Hartill? Certainly! I intend to. I hope I know when I'm in the wrong."
"To me——"
"To you?" cried Alwynne, with a little high-pitched laugh. "If you tell me what for?"
"In Miss Marsham's absence I take her place," began Henrietta.
"Miss Hartill, I was told, did that."
"You are mistaken. The younger mistresses come to me for orders."