Marshland looked pleased but said nothing.
Alice brought in the tea, and the three made it off shrimps and bread and butter and by that time Helen was pleased to go to bed, quite pleased with her first day in London.
Helen's bedroom was at the top of a very steep staircase and it was even more stuffy than the sitting room. A rather dirty white blind hung in the window, which Marshland instantly tore down, "the filthy rag" she exclaimed "never mind Miss Helen, in a few weeks, I'll have this fit for a lady and the sitting room too for that matter.
The iron bed stead was of the collapsible kind and Helen had to prop it up with empty trunks in order to get a night's rest, but what with the squalling of the office cats and the noise of the clerks and servants below, it was in the small hours of the morning before either she or Marshland got a wink of sleep.
CHAPTER 19
IMPROVEMENTS
It was 8 o'clock, the following morning when Helen was awakened by hearing a loud dispute outside her door between Marshland and Alice Grimstone (the maid).
Glancing at her watch, Helen jumped out of bed and began her toilet and half way through she was interrupted by Alice bouncing in announcing it was gone 8 o'clock and would she (Helen) care about any water for washing. Helen declared she would, upon which she was presented with a can of hot water and a clean towel, soap already having been provided.
Having placed the last hair pin in her knob and fastenned her white blouse, Helen went down to the sitting room, where a smell of hot coffee and fried bacon greated her nose.