“To ask? Ah, then you agreed with her to give you regular service?”
“Oh, no,” she professed in surprise. “It was all her kindness; she pressed it on me. She’s really kind-hearted when you’re in need.”
“Remarkably so,” said her brother, laughing again. “Pray glance your eye over that.”
(Mrs. Bolt had crept to the door when she heard Mary enter; not a word escaped her.)
Mary looked down each of the pages, her amazement increasing; at the end she raised her eyes in indignation. Women always take small extortion more seriously than men, and their sense of humour is generally defective.
“Bernard! How can she do such a thing? Oh, I should be ashamed!”
“No doubt you would, my dear sister; you and Mrs. Bolt are of somewhat different clay.”
She began to contest items.
“No, no, we wont talk about it,” Kingcote said, taking the dirty paper from her hands.
“You will pay it?”