"For your board, and their care of you?"
"No.—I do not owe them for much care," said Rotha smiling. "I have taken care of myself since I have been here."
"Do I understand you? Has nobody paid them anything for your stay here?"
"Nobody."
"Upon what footing were you here, then?"
"It has no name," said Rotha contentedly. She could be gay now over this anomalous past. "I do not know what to call it."
"Has your aunt allowed you to depend upon these people?"
"Yes. I have not really depended upon them, Mr. Southwode. I promised myself, and I promised Mrs. Purcell, that some day, if I ever could do it, I would live to pay her. If I could have got any work to do, I would have taken it, and paid her before now; but I had no chance. I could see nobody."
"How literally is that to be taken?"
"With absolute literalness. I have seen nobody but Mr. and Mrs. Purcell since I came here. Began almost to think I never should."