"No, indeed. One's idea was to fit the wage-earners rather more for their task—to help the inhabitants of our little corner of the Empire to help themselves."
"Quite so. And apparently the fame of our little enterprise has spread," said the old man, with great satisfaction. "They actually want me to send a representative to look at the buildings they have in view, and put things in train a bit. Rather gratifying for little Culmouth, eh?"
"Yes, indeed."
"Of course, it all depends on Sir Julian's consent—naturally, that's an understood thing. After all he's done for us, and his position and all."
"I am quite sure you may count upon him," said Edna graciously. "He will appreciate the compliment to our small experiment as much as I do."
If the good Alderman felt slightly puzzled at the extremely proprietary attitude adopted by his listener, he knew better than to give any sign of it.
"There'll be great excitement amongst the staff," he said. "But, of course, they'll know nothing about it for the present."
"There's something rather unsettled about the staff just now," Edna thoughtfully rejoined. "You know how things can be felt in the air sometimes, and I've fancied rather an absence of our usual esprit de corps lately. I haven't quite known what to attribute it to——"
Being at all events perfectly well aware of what she was going to attribute it to now, Lady Rossiter only paused long enough to make sure that the Alderman, listening open-mouthed, had no theory to put forward.
"May I speak quite frankly, and in confidence?"