"Them 'ere children you saw in the area I looks after while their mothers are out washing or charing. They takes them 'ome in the evening. I only charges them four-pence a-day, and it is a loss at that, for they does take a lot of minding. What age is yours?"
"Mine is only a month old. I've a chance to go out as wet-nurse if I can find a place to put him out at nurse. Will you look after my baby?"
"How much do you think of paying for him?"
"Five shillings a week."
"And you a-going out as wet-nurse at a pound a week; you can afford more than that."
"I'm only getting fifteen shillings a week."
"Well, you can afford to pay six. I tell you the responsibility I of looking after a hinfant is that awful nowadays that I don't care to undertake it for less."
Esther hesitated; she did not like this woman.
"I suppose," said the woman, altering her tone to one of mild interrogation, "you would like your baby to have the best of everything, and not the drainings of any bottle that's handy?"
"I should like my child to be well looked after, and I must see the child every three weeks."