The Paying Guest | Page 7

that's how it stands, you see.'
By a rapid calculation Emmeline discovered; with surprise, that Mrs.

Higgins could not be much more than forty years of age. It must have
been a life of gross self-indulgence that had made the woman look at
least ten years older. This very undesirable parentage naturally affected
Emmeline's opinion of Louise, whose faults began to show in a more
pronounced light. One thing was clear: but for the fact that Louise
aimed at a separation from her relatives, it would be barely possible to
think of receiving her. If Mrs. Higgins thought of coming down to
Sutton at unexpected moments--no, that was too dreadful.
'Should you wish, Mrs. Higgins, to entrust your daughter to me
entirely?'
'My dear Mrs. Rumford, it's very little that my wishes has to do with it!
She's made up her mind to leave 'ome, and all I can do is to see she gets
with respectable people, which I feel sure you are; and of course I shall
have your references.'
Emmeline turned pale at the suggestion. She all but decided that the
matter must go no further.
'And what might your terms be--inclusive?' Mrs. Higgins proceeded to
inquire.
At this moment a servant entered with tea, and Emmeline, sorely
flurried, talked rapidly of the advantages of Sutton as a residence. She
did not allow her visitor to put in a word till the door closed again.
Then, with an air of decision, she announced her terms; they would be
three guineas a week. It was half a guinea more than she and Clarence
had decided to ask. She expected, she hoped, Mrs. Higgins would look
grave. But nothing of the kind; Louise's mother seemed to think the
suggestion very reasonable. Thereupon Emmeline added that, of course,
the young lady would discharge her own laundress's bill. To this also
Mrs. Higgins readily assented.
'A hundred and sixty pounds per annum!' Emmeline kept repeating to
herself. And, alas! it looked as if she might have asked much more. The
reference difficulty might be minimised by naming her own married
sister, who lived at Blackheath, and Clarence's most intimate friend, Mr.

Tarling, who held a good position in a City house, and had a most
respectable address at West Kensington. But her heart misgave her. She
dreaded her husband's return home.
The conversation was prolonged for half-an-hour. Emmeline gave her
references, and in return requested the like from Mrs. Higgins. This
astonished the good woman. Why, her husband was Messrs. 'Iggins of
Fenchurch Street! Oh, a mere formality, Emmeline hastened to add--for
Mr. Mumford's satisfaction. So Mrs. Higgins very pompously named
two City firms, and negotiations, for the present, were at an end.
Louise, summoned to the drawing-room, looked rather tired of waiting.
'When can you have me, Mrs. Mumford?' she asked. 'I've quite made up
my mind to come.'
'I'm afraid a day or two must pass, Miss Derrick--'
'The references, my dear,' began Mrs. Higgins.
'Oh, nonsense! It's all right; anyone can see.'
'There you go! Always cutting short the words in my mouth. I can't
endure such behaviour, and I wonder what Mrs. Rumford thinks of it.
I've given Mrs. Rumford fair warning--'
They wrangled for a few minutes, Emmeline feeling too depressed and
anxious to interpose with polite commonplaces. When at length they
took their leave, she saw the last of them with a sigh of thanksgiving. It
had happened most fortunately that no one called this afternoon.
'Clarence, it's quite out of the question.' Thus she greeted her husband.
'The girl herself I could endure, but oh, her odious mother!--Three
guineas a week! I could cry over the thought.'
By the first post in the morning came a letter from Louise. She wrote
appealingly, touchingly. 'I know you couldn't stand my mother, but do
please have me. I like Sutton, and I like your house, and I like you. I

promise faithfully nobody from home shall ever come to see me, so
don't be afraid. Of course if you won't have me, somebody else will;
I've got two hundred to choose from, but I'd rather come to you. Do
write and say I may come. I'm so sorry I quarrelled with mother before
you. I promise never to quarrel with you. I'm very good-tempered when
I get what I want.' With much more to the same effect.
'We will have her,' declared Mumford. 'Why not, if the old people keep
away?--You are quite sure she sounds her _h's_?'
'Oh, quite. She has been to pretty good schools, I think. And I dare say
I could persuade her to get other dresses and hats.'
'Of course you could. Really, it seems almost a duty to take her--
doesn't it?'
So the matter was settled, and Mumford ran off gaily to