Lucy Challoner sat down. She felt her strength gone from her. In another moment she rallied, remembering that she had to hold the fort of domestic serenity for Charlie’s sake, and that she must not yet reveal to Florence the full force of the blow she had given her.
“How did you hear this?” she asked.
“I heard it at your Italian warehouse,” Florence answered. “You know Jem has an idea that they keep better curry powder than anybody else. So this afternoon I looked in there with an order, and to pay a little account. That took me to the desk, where the girl-clerk sits. She has often seen you and me together, and of course she had heard of Charlie’s illness. So says she, ‘I hope Mr. Challoner is better, ma’am?’ ‘Oh, dear, yes,’ I replied, ‘I daresay he is nearly as well as he will ever be. He will always be delicate.’ ‘I’m so sorry, ma’am,’ she said. ‘It’s so sad for Mrs. Challoner and the dear little boy, and what a pity it is she should be troubled about a new servant at such a time.’ ‘A new servant!’ I cried in amaze. ‘Oh, perhaps I should not have spoken,’ said she. ‘Hasn’t her maid given notice yet? I know she has arranged to be married at Christmas.’”
“There may be some mistake,” observed Lucy. “But thank you for telling me. I only wish Pollie had told me herself. I did not know even that she had a sweetheart.”
Mrs. Brand laughed.
“She may not have known that herself very long,” she said. “These girls are generally of an opinion that ‘happy’s the wooing that’s not long undoing.’ When do her wages fall due?”
“The day after to-morrow,” said Lucy drearily.
“This is only the first of October,” commented Mrs. Brand. “If she gives you notice now, she will be away by the first of November. I should not wonder if she doesn’t give you notice for another month. Well, you’ve had her more than seven years, so you may think yourself lucky. The worst of it is that a change comes harder in such a case than when one is always changing as I am. I must be going now, Lucy. And don’t you fret. I’ll help you to look for another girl. I rather enjoy the fun. But I sympathise with you, my dear, for I didn’t like the task once, but practice makes perfect, and now I expect nothing and am never disappointed.”
She was gone, Lucy closing the hall door softly behind her that Charlie might not be roused. She wanted to make herself more accustomed to this new aspect of life, ere the tinkle of his little handbell should summon her to his side.
The first thing was to question Pollie. “There may be some mistake,” Lucy repeated to herself. Yet she felt a secret conviction that there was none.