“No, of course it would be a dreadful separation,” Susie agreed, “but it might be necessary until he got something else. He probably would very soon. He is so popular with everyone and so high principled. Anything to do with engineering delights him, and I should think there must be a great deal of that sort of thing going on everywhere just now. The whole world is making an effort to better everybody’s lives—except ours, of course, who have to pay for it. But one doesn’t grudge that. Personally I don’t mind how simply I live so long as I can have the things I want.”
“I am very sorry I couldn’t come and hear you speak this afternoon,” said Mrs. Gainsborough. “But the fact is, my old cook, Annie, is being married and we gave her a little send-off from here. She has married such a nice respectable man—a widower—a plumber and decorator; we have known him for years—a man of the name of Fisk. But you know all about young Fisk, the son? How stupid of me! A horrid nuisance he is and a great worry to his father. He won’t have anything to do with poor old Annie. Turns up his nose at her altogether.”
“How horrid of him!” said Susie.
“Yes, I believe he thinks we arranged it all as a studied insult to him; vulgar little wretch!”
“You will miss Annie, won’t you?” said Susie. “She has been with you such a long time.”
“Oh, she is not exactly leaving us,” said Mrs. Gainsborough. “She will still come for the day about eleven o’clock to do all the cooking, and she will go home in the afternoon to give her husband his tea and then come back and dish up the dinner. You see, her home is only just round the corner and he is out all day so she is glad of the company and to earn the extra money. I fancy young Fisk takes a good bit of what his father makes.”
They had hardly finished dinner when the maid handed a note to Susie. The girl, she said, was waiting for an answer. It was from Mrs. Vachell.
“Dear Mrs. Fulton,” it said.
“You told me you are dining with the Gainsboroughs. I wonder if you would have time to come in here for a few minutes on your way home. If Teresa is tired she could drop you and send the car back? I have heard from Evangeline by the last post with some reference to what I suggested to you this afternoon. She is sure to have written to you at the same time, but I cannot answer her letter without consulting you, and as you are always so busy it might save time if I can catch you between your good deeds.”
“Would you ask the girl to tell Mrs. Vachell I shall be very glad to come round later,” she said to the maid; then she turned with an apology to Mrs. Gainsborough. “If one once takes up these public things there are so many little details to think out. Mrs. Vachell wants to talk over one or two points that she suggested this afternoon. I will send Teresa home when the car comes in case my husband wonders what has become of us, and it can come back for me to Mrs. Vachell’s.”