"Afternoon, miss," said Lyveden. He was determined to do the thing properly. "Your lady still wanting a footman?"
The girl stared at him. Then—
"I dunno," she said. "Better come in, an' I'll see."
Anthony thanked her and entered. She shut the door and flung down the passage and out of sight. A second later a momentary burst of chatter suggested that she had opened the door of the servants' hall.
For a minute or two nothing happened, and Lyveden stood in the passage with his hat in his hand, wondering whether his engagement was to rest with the butler. Then a door opened and closed, and a girl dressed as a parlour-maid appeared upon the scene. She was walking slowly, and seemed to be endeavouring to extricate something from the depths of her mouth.
"Come in answer to the ad.?" she queried.
"That's right," said Lyveden.
"Oh." She leaned against the wall and regarded a wet forefinger. "Got a bone in me gum," she added abstractedly.
Anthony wondered whether he was expected to offer assistance, but, deciding to risk a breach of etiquette, assumed a look of anxiety instead.
"How rotten!" he murmured.