"Perhaps you had better go and see about the new maid at once."
"Oh, mamma, I think you might do it yourself! I—I am too nervous and unhappy to attend to it just now. Won't you just drive down into town again and see about the girl?" answered Roma.
Mrs. Clarke did not relish the task, but she was so used to bearing Roma's burdens that she assented without a murmur, and went out again to see about the new maid, sadly troubled in her mind about what had happened last night, when the delirious maid had told such shocking stories on her daughter.
"It could not be true; of course not, but it is shocking that Sophie should even have imagined such awful things! It all came of Roma being cross and impatient with her, and making a bad impression on her mind. Now, if this young sewing girl should consent to serve Roma, I shall make it a point to see that she is not ill-used," she thought, as her handsome carriage stopped at Liane's humble home, and the footman opened the door and helped her out.
She swept up the narrow walk to the door, an imposing figure, thinking compassionately:
"What a wretched abode! It will be a pleasing change to Liane Lester if the girl will consent to come to Cliffdene."
She tapped on the open door, but no one replied, though she saw the old woman's figure moving about in the room beyond.
"She is deaf and cannot hear me. I will just step in," she thought, suiting the action to the word.
Granny was sweeping up the floor, but she turned with a start, dropping her broom as a soft hand touched her shoulder, and, confronting the beautiful intruder, asked:
"Who are you? What do you want?"