“Well, I shan’t be here.”
“Now, please, Fliss. You know how they talk. If you aren’t here they’ll think it’s awfully funny. I don’t care about your being here all the time, but to help with the refreshments anyway. There’s no one who can serve them as you do.”
“You know how I hate that crowd. Sitting around retailing gossip about women who wouldn’t know them on the street. Backstairs stuff! Oh, why don’t you drop them?”
“Now, you mustn’t be so snobby, Fliss. I’ve known these women for years. Mrs. Ellis——”
“Don’t tell me again that Mrs. Ellis assisted at my birth. Maybe that’s one thing that’s wrong with me.”
“You’ll stay in and help me, won’t you, dear?”
“Washing dishes all afternoon?”
“No, you won’t have to do that sort of thing. I’ve called up Ellen and she will come in at three to help. She’s working now but she asked for an afternoon off.”
“Ellen,” echoed Fliss with deeper gloom.
“Ellen’s a nice girl,” said her mother with an unusually defensive note.