Judith winced at the word “reliable.”
“This isn’t a servants’ agency, you know, Miss Porter,” answered the spunky Madeleine. “Those words are generally used when one engages a cook or a housemaid. What is the work like?”
“I’m going to give an exhibition of my silver work at the George Washington Bazaar. I may sell some of it if I can get the price, and what I want is a skillful and re— or rather clever——” Madeleine blinked both eyes rapidly at the substitution—“person to help me get it in order. Most of it is awfully tarnished and it will need a good deal of polishing.”
“How much will you pay a skillful, clever person?” demanded Madeleine, determined to drive a good bargain and shrewdly guessing the kind of person she had to deal with.
“I’ll pay ten dollars,” answered Millicent glibly.
“What are the pieces like?”
“Oh, there are chains, necklaces, platters and bowls, and a lot of ivory things I have picked up in Europe that must be carefully washed.”
“We’ll do the work for fifteen dollars,” announced Madeleine. “No less.”
Judith could hardly preserve a grave countenance while this bargaining was going on between the rich Miss Porter and her funny little Southern friend.
“I think that’s too much,” declared Millicent.