"I think I know the kind of governess you want," said Madame Butler. She ran her eye over two or three pages of her ledger and added, "But I'm very much afraid that I haven't one of that kind on my books at present."
"That's a pity," said Tinker. "Should I have long to wait?"
"I'm afraid you might. People chiefly want ladles with certificates and degrees, so the others don't offer themselves."
The pretty young lady turned from the window with the quickness of one suddenly making up her mind.
"How should I do?" she said in a charming voice.
Madame Butler turned towards her quickly with raised eyebrows, but said nothing. Tinker turned, too, and his face lighted up with an angelic smile. He looked at the pretty young lady carefully, and then at the pretty young lady's tailor-made gown, and the smile faded out of his face.
"I'm afraid," he said sorrowfully, "you would be too expensive."
"What salary were you thinking of giving?" she said with a brisk, businesslike directness.
"Thirty pounds a year," said Tinker; and then he added hastily, "Of course it's very little; but really the work would be quite light, and we should try and make things pleasant for her."
"But surely, for a governess without certificates, that is a very good salary; isn't it, Madame Butler?"