She returned to the lodgings, but before she went upstairs she had an interview with the landlady.
"What do you charge my mother for rent?" she asked.
"Well, Miss Staunton," exclaimed the woman, "with the dinners and one thing and another, I am obliged to make it a pound a week."
"That is a great deal too much," said Effie. "I don't suppose it is too much for your rooms, but it is more than we can afford just now. When we first came to you, you agreed to let us the rooms without attendance for fifteen shillings a week. We cannot by any possible management afford to pay more."
"But Mrs. Staunton wished for attendance, miss—she said it made all the difference; there was half a crown for attendance and half a crown extra for kitchen fire."
"But the kitchen fire was included in the fifteen shillings a week."
"Then there wasn't late dinner."
"Surely there is no late dinner now?" exclaimed Effie.
"Oh, yes, miss; every evening Mr. Staunton requires a nice little bit of dinner sent up when he comes home. You see, miss, it is quite impossible for me to have extra fires without charging for them."
"Certainly. Well, I don't think there will be any extra dinner in future. And now please tell me exactly how much is due to you."