"This dressing-gown is gray. It was trimmed with blue silk and blue ribbons, but of course we shall do it with black now."
"All right! Make it look smart, so that Mamma will be pleased with it. I am going for a stroll now, and if I meet Mr. Andrews, I can tell him we are all trying to live within our income."
In point of fact, Arthur was going out in the hope that he might meet the lawyer. He did not like to go to his house again so soon, it would look as though he must run to him with every trifling tale. But he wanted to know whether there was any foundation for Adrian's story, that his mother could compel them to do her will or leave the town, and he felt it would lift the burden somewhat if he could share it with Mr. Andrews.
He knew the old man often went for a walk in the evening out beyond the town, and so he walked in the same direction, and to his satisfaction, soon met the lawyer returning from his evening stroll.
"Good evening!" said Mr. Andrews. "I was just thinking about you. How are you getting on at Brading's?"
"Very well indeed, I think. Mr. Brading has agreed to give me forty pounds a year instead of twenty-five!"
"Has he, though? Well, I have always heard that he was a fair-dealing sort of man. And how do you like the work itself?"
"Oh, I am sure to like that, because I am fond of figures and book-keeping and that sort of thing!"
"Then you've no wish to leave, although it is a shop," said Mr. Andrews. "You see, Lady Mary Murray came to me this afternoon and asked if I could not get you something better to do out of the town. In London she seemed to think you would have a much better chance of getting on. What do you say about it?"
"I am not going away to please Lady Mary. Why should I? I am very comfortable at Brading's, and I can help them at home with what I earn. And another thing, I want to stay at home with Molly and Annie. Don't you think I ought to stay here?"