"Yes, Miss Vivian," automatically replied the little Superintendent, and added desperately: "But I'm afraid that cook and Mrs. Smith won't do it—not if they've once said they won't."
Char raised her eyebrows.
"If the servants don't obey your orders they must leave," she said. "But isn't there any one else?"
"Perhaps two of the girls—" Mrs. Bullivant hesitated, and then left the room.
Char heard her open the door of the next room, which she knew must be the sitting-room, and a babel of voices immediately became audible.
She waited, rather annoyed.
Mrs. Bullivant came out into the hall, followed by quite a large group.
"This is it. Look, dears, can you manage it? Miss Henderson, dear, you're tall."
"Oh, yes. It's only up one flight, and it isn't a very large box—only an awkward shape. Will some one give me a hand?"
Miss Plumtree, who was sturdy, came to assist, and between them, with a great deal of straining and pulling, and many anxious ejaculations from the door-way of the sitting-room, they slowly lifted the box.