“It can’t be helped, mother. I shan’t be above a minute or two away, and
I’ll bring back a pint of porter with the steak.”
Coming back she met Jenny and Julia, and when she told them her purchases they remarked significantly that they were now quite sure of a pleasant evening.
“When he’s done eating ‘e’ll go out to smoke his pipe with some of his chaps,” said Jenny, “and we shall have the ‘ouse to ourselves, and yer can tell us all about your situation. They keeps a butler and a footman, don’t they? They must be grand folk. And what was the footman like? Was he very handsome? I’ve ‘eard that they all is.”
“And you’ll show us yer dresses, won’t you?” said Julia. “How many ‘ave you got, and ‘ow did yer manage to save up enough money to buy such beauties, if they’re all like that?”
“This
