"She is neatly twenty," replied Hannah.
"Indeed! I should hardly have thought you were seventeen," she said, looking with a smile at Juliet. "Are you fond of children?"
"No, I am not," said Juliet frankly. "To be sure, I never have had much to do with them, for I am the youngest at home; but I do not think I should like them."
"That is unfortunate," said Mrs. Campbell, looking puzzled; "then what made you think you would like to teach?"
"I don't think it," replied Juliet; "I must tell you candidly that I hate the idea, and I do not think that I am in the least fitted to be a teacher. It is my sisters who wish me to be a governess. They think I ought to earn money."
Hannah flushed crimson. "Juliet," she protested, "you are not fair to us in putting the case so. We are anxious that Juliet should find something to do," she explained, "because we are sure she would be happier if she had regular occupation. Of course I do not mean you to understand that it is not of importance to us that she should help to maintain herself, but I am sure our main desire is for her good."
"Certainly, certainly. You are quite right. It is well for girls to have something definite to do," said Mrs. Campbell. She could sympathise with the elder sister in her embarrassment, but Juliet had still more of her sympathy. She was charmed by the girl's prettiness and amused at her audacity; but, as a governess, she put her out of the question at once. "Still, I think it a mistake to try to force inclination," she continued. "If your sister has no fancy for teaching, would it not be better for her to try something else? I am strongly of opinion that no one should attempt to teach who does not feel a true vocation for it. Now I must own that my little girls are so high-spirited and so little disposed to learn, that I should feel afraid to entrust them to one who did not truly love children, and feel some enthusiasm in teaching them."
"Of course; I can quite understand that after what has passed you could not feel otherwise," said Hannah, rising to go.
But at that moment a servant entered with tea, and Mrs. Campbell gently insisted that her visitors must take some ere they went away. Each would gladly have gone at once. Juliet's momentary sense of triumph was past, and she was feeling ashamed of the part she had played. She felt that she had acted meanly by Hannah. Moreover, her self-respect was sorely wounded, and her cheeks burned with shame as she was obliged to display her very untidy gloves, whilst Mrs. Campbell, with charming courtesy, waited on her and supplied her with tea and cake. For Juliet had the instincts of a lady, although she had chosen to act in defiance of them that afternoon.
Hannah said nothing for some minutes after they had left Mrs. Campbell's house. She was feeling so indignant that she hardly dared trust herself to speak.