“Read the note, please,” said Annie.
Mrs Priestley did so. If she felt surprise at the contents, her face expressed nothing.
“You will excuse us, miss,” she said when she came to the end; “we will return in a few minutes.”
She left the room. Annie sank down into a chair, feeling limp. What if Mrs Priestley were to refuse? Such a possible and awful contingency had never even occurred to her.
Mrs Priestley was away for some time, quite half-an-hour. When she did return the expression on her face had slightly changed.
“We will come into our private sitting-room, miss,” she said.
She went first; Annie followed her. Mrs Priestley’s private room was very small and very much crowded. Nearly the whole of it was taken up by an enormous desk containing various pigeon-holes. There was, however, room for two chairs. Annie was asked to seat herself in one.
“We have been looking,” said Mrs Priestley, “into our accounts. You, we understand, miss, are acquainted with the contents of the letter of our much-esteemed client, Miss Lushington.”
“Yes,” said Annie; “I know all about it. As well as I remember, my great friend, Mabel Lushington, said that I could arrange the matter with you.”
“We are coming to that—if you have no objection, miss.”