“Very pritty, m’lady.”
Very skilfully she made her first tentative towards the coup she had in mind.
“One day, Mary, you must bring them over to Tea with me,” she said....
“I do so want the dear children to come over to me,” she said presently in the garden to aunts Phyllis and Phœbe. “If they would come over quite informally—with their Mary. Just to Tea and scamper about the shrubbery....”
Mary and Unwin surveyed the garden conversation from the nursery window, and talked sourly and distrustfully.
“Been with ’er long?” asked Mary.
“Seven years,” said Unwin.
“Purgat’ry?” said Mary.
“She ’as to be managed,” said Unwin.