“I wonder where they’re going,” said Jenny, looking away.
“You take my advice, my dear, and keep your eyes on that young man. I wouldn’t trust ’im too far if I was you. And you tell him that your ma can see through a brick wall as well as anyone. . . . ’Ad he ever said anything about his lady friend?”
“Oh yes, ma, he’s spoken of her often,” said Jenny uneasily, for as a matter of fact till that day she had never even heard Mrs. Murray’s name.
“Well, you tell ’im you want to hear nothing about her. You must be careful, my dear. I ’ad a rare lot of trouble with your pa when I was first married. But I put my foot down, and let ’im see I wouldn’t stand his nonsense.”
“I wonder why Basil doesn’t come back?”
“And, if you please, he never introduced me to his lady friend. I suppose I’m not good enough.”
“Ma!”
“Oh, don’t talk to me, my dear. I think you’ve treated me very bad, both of you, and it’ll be a long day before I leave my pleasant home in Crouch End to cross this threshold.”
At this Basil returned, and saw at once that Mrs. Bush was much disturbed.
“Hulloa, what’s up?” he asked, smiling.