13Althea returned home to find Mrs Graham in an extremely fretful mood. She held forth for some time on the congenial theme of selfishness in the young, with particular application to a daughter who left her mother alone whilst she wasted time and money on going to town.
‘And if it was to shop, I am sure there are very good shops here in the High Street.’
‘I didn’t go up to shop.’
Mrs Graham looked at her suspiciously.
‘Then what did you go up for?’
‘To see a friend of Sophy’s.’
‘A friend of Sophy Justice’s—of course she’s Sophy Harding now, but it seems so much easier to say Sophy Justice—why on earth should you go and see a friend of Sophy’s?’
‘I thought I should like to see her again.’
‘Oh, you’ve met her before?’
Althea said, ‘Yes, I’ve met her,’ and then hurried on with, ‘I t
