"I'm not pleased; delighted is more the word. You're worth your weight in gold."
"I wish I were."
"But you will be, if you follow my advice. At first, I thought you a bit of a mug. I don't mind telling you, now I see how smart you are."
Mavis looked puzzled; the extravagant eulogy of her conduct seemed scarcely to be justified.
"You can see Williams is head over ears in love with you. So far, he's been beastly stand-offish to anyone I put him on to," continued Mrs Hamilton.
"Indeed!" said Mavis coldly. She disliked Mrs Hamilton's coarse manner of expressing herself.
Mrs Hamilton did not notice the frown on the girl's forehead, but went on:
"As for that idea of drinking water, it was a stroke of genius."
"What?"
"My heart went out to you when you insisted on having it, although I pretended to mind."