Hetty looked thoughtful.
‘But I think mother would say,’ she answered after a pause, ‘that we ought not to use it unless Lord Ilfracombe knew of it and gave his leave. I remember once when Annie Roberts came to tea with me, and boasted of having brought her mistress’s umbrella because she was away and it looked like rain, mother sent her straight home again, and threatened if Annie did not tell Mrs Carey of what she had done, that she would tell her herself.’
Miss Llewellyn looked just a little vexed. One might have seen that by the way she bit her lip and tapped the carpet with her neat little shoe.
‘But your sister is not in the same position as Annie Roberts, Hetty, my dear,’ interposed William Owen, observing their hostess’s discomfiture.
‘No, that is just it,’ said Miss Llewellyn, recovering herself. ‘I am allowed—all the servants know that they may bring these things up to me when I have friends. Life in London is so different from life in the country—one expects more privileges. But there, Hetty, dear, don’t let us speak of it any more. You don’t quite understand, but you may be sure I would not do anything of which Lord Ilfracombe would not approve.’
‘Oh, no, dear Nell, indeed you need not have told me that. I was only a little surprised. I am not used to such fine things, you know, and I just thought if your master was to walk in, how astonished he would be.’
‘Not at all,’ said Miss Llewellyn gaily. ‘You don’t know how good and kind he is to us all. He would just laugh and tell us to go on enjoying ourselves. But if we are to go to the theatre, I must run up and put on my things. William, will you have a glass of wine before we start? I have a bottle of my own, so Hetty need not think I am going to drink Lord Ilfracombe’s.’
Young Owen refused the wine, but Hetty was eager to accompany her sister to her bedroom. This was just what Miss Llewellyn did not wish her to do. She was in a quandary. But her woman’s wit (some people would say, her woman’s trick of lying) came to her aid, and she answered,—
‘Come upstairs with me by all means, Hetty. I should like you to see the house, but I will take you to one of the spare bedrooms, for mine is not habitable just at present. Plasterers and painters all over that floor. Come in here,’ and she turned as she spoke into a magnificently furnished apartment usually reserved for Lord Ilfracombe’s guests.
Hetty stared with all her eyes at the magnificence surrounding her.