“When can we have our talk?” continued Fanchon.
“Well, I don’t think just at present; will you give me until evening? Order what you wish to-day, but don’t be too extravagant, you’ll only have an illness. I give you plain food, for it is really best from every point of view, and your father’s allowance of housekeeping money is very limited.”
“I can ask him, of course, what he does give,” said Fanchon.
“No, no; don’t do that—”
“And,” continued Fanchon, as though she had not heard the last remark, “I can find out what the butcher’s bills, and the green grocer’s, and the grocer’s come to per week. I shall be rather clever about these things in future.”
Brenda made no reply. After a minute’s pause, she said:
“Would you really like me to leave you?”
“I think, on the whole, I should very much.”
“You would wish to give up going to Marshlands-on-the-Sea?”
“No—that would be a disappointment.”