"I see you have got a new assistant, Miss Simpson," said Matilda patronisingly.
"I'm happy to say I have,—a relation of my own, too,—Miss Maclean."
Rachel meant it for an informal introduction, but Mona did not raise her eyes from the wools she was arranging.
"You will be glad to hear that the wound is a very trifling one," said Dr Dudley's pleasant voice a moment later, as he re-entered the shop and walked straight up to Mona. "Good morning." In spite of his previous rebuff, he held out his hand cordially, and, although Mona was somewhat amused, she appreciated the kindness of his motive too warmly to refuse his hand again.
And indeed it was a pleasant hand to take—firm, "live," brotherly, non-aggressive.
But she responded to his salutation with a very audible, "Good morning, sir."
"Damnation!" he said to himself, "the girl is as proud as Lucifer. She might have left the 'sir' alone for once."
From which you will perceive that Dr Dudley had heard something of the conversation which had just taken place, had guessed a little more, and had resolved in a very friendly spirit to play the part of a deus ex machinâ.
He went out of the shop in company with the red-haired girls.
"Do you know that young woman is a relation of Miss Simpson's?" asked one of them.