I thought:
‘How funny it is that I was so shy of Walter. I am so close to him now. It is wonderful to be so close to anyone.’
XXXIV
Mrs. Sebright had engaged maids for us; a cook and house-parlourmaid. The cook was called Sarah, the house-parlourmaid Louise. She was younger than the cook, and pretty, but Mrs. Sebright said she was not so good a servant.
The house was all ready for us. Mrs. Sebright had ordered in food, and she was waiting there to receive us. She was like a little bird, fluttering from room to room; showing us little things she had done; muslin curtains tacked up behind wash-stands, rubber knobs on the floors to prevent doors banging backwards, and so on; she did so hope I would not mind, she said.
I did not mind, of course. I thought how nice it all was; I thought:
‘How delightful to have a house of one’s own!’
I thought how kind Mrs. Sebright was, and how easy it would be to get on with her.
I thought:
‘I will never let her feel in the way. I will never let her feel that I have taken Walter away from her.’