She entered the kitchen at once, and, taking a handkerchief out of her pocket, wiped her heated face.
“I thought maybe you’d be having tea,” she said. “I’d be glad of a cup. Ain’t your mother in yet?”
“No, Susy.” Jill filled the kettle as she spoke, and, turning on the gas, set it on the little stove to boil. “You shall have a cup of tea as soon as ever I can get it ready, Susy.”
“You don’t look spry,” said Susy. “Wot’s up with yer? Has you and Nat had a quarrel?”
“No. How dare you say it?” Jill’s eyes flashed with anger.
“Oh, highty-tighty! What a fly-away young madam it is!” said Susy, with her shrill laugh. “Well, Jill, I meant no offence. You look downhearted, somehow; and, of course, a gel don’t expect to see that on the face of another gel wot’s jest gone and engaged herself to her brother. It’s but natrel to see smiles on yer face, Jill, and to hear you joking and laughing. I joke orful when I’m happy, there’s nothing like a good joke for making time pass.”
“Well, I’m happy enough,” said Jill. “Who said I wasn’t? It ain’t my way to take my happiness all sparklin’ and fizzin’. I likes it quiet best.”
“You’re in great luck to have got Nat,” continued Susy. “Ef I was another sort, I’d be in a rage of jealousy, but that ain’t me. Nat’s safe to rise, and get on in the costering line; and he has saved a good little bit of money, too, and put it away in the Savings’ Bank, ef I am not much mistook. Nat’s close, when he likes, and so I tell him. I like him all the better for it. I ’ates people as wears their hearts on their sleeve, and tell all about their money matters, and so forth. I’m close myself, and inclined to be saving, and so will Nat be ef you’ll let him, Jill.”
“Who says I won’t let him?” retorted Jill. She spoke almost pettishly; her voice had completely lost its usual sweetness. Susy was never a congenial companion to Jill, and to-night she rubbed her the wrong way with each word she uttered.
“I’m not saying nothing,” replied Susy, nodding her pretty, fair head. “But deeds speak a sight louder nor words, and wot I want to know is this—why you and Nat has made up yer mind to take all them heaps of rooms down-stairs? It’s the height of folly, and that you know, Jill.”