“Stelfox is an old woman! Never mind what he says. When you want to know anything, come to me.” “I want to know something now, Mr. Bradfield, please.” “Well, what is it?” “Whether my mother has told you I’m going to be a hospital nurse?” “A what?” “A nurse at one of the London hospitals.” “What on earth do you want to do that for?” She hesitated a little before replying, in some embarrassment: “Well, you see, in spite of all your kindness, it is rather a difficult position for me here, isn’t it? Or rather, it isn’t any position at all. I’m not a servant, and I’m not a visitor, and I’m not a daughter of the house, but I’m treated as all three----” “Who treats you as a servant?” interrupted Mr. Bradfield, angrily. “At least, you needn’t tell me. Of course it’s my pretentious old porpoise of a cousin! I’ll give her a talking-to she won’t forget in a hurry! But why do you trouble your head about the maunderings of a snob?” “I don’t trouble my head more about her treatment than about yours, Mr. Bradfield,” answered Chris, smiling. “I shouldn’t mind being a parlour-maid here at all. Your parlour-maids have rather a good time of it, I think. And I shouldn’t mind being a visitor, nor a daughter; but a combination of the duties of all three is too much for one pair of feminine hands, and one simple feminine understanding.” “Oh! And who’s to take care of my china when you’re gone?” “Miss Graham-Shute.” “Which one?” “Rose. Mrs. Graham-Shute says dusting would spoil the shape of Lilith’s hands.” “And who is to play the piano in the evenings?” “Oh, Mrs. Shute herself could do that.” Mr. Bradfield groaned. “Shade of Instruction-book Hamilton! What has the piano done that it should be exposed to that?” he exclaimed. Then, turning to Chris with a frown, he went on, “You say I have been kind to you. Well, don’t you know that you are here to protect me from these people? I told you so when you first came.” “But you didn’t quite mean it! You like them really, or you wouldn’t have asked them to spend Christmas with you!” “I like them--in moderation. But now the old lady has made up her mind to settle down here, I see that I’m in for too much of a good thing. I shall have to forbid them the house, or they will be in and out like rabbits all day long.” “You won’t be too rigorous, will you? For the sake of the poor girls?” “You like the girls, then?” “I’m sorry for them. One is rather spoilt, the other is rather down-trodden.” “And the son? He’s been making love to you, hasn’t he?” “Yes.” “You take it very coolly. Has he asked you to marry him?” Chris laughed. “Why, no, Mr. Bradfield. He’s only a boy, and I’ve only known him two days!” Mr. Bradfield glanced at her, looked away quickly, took up his stand on the hearth-rug, and drummed on his chin with his fingers. Chris looked at the door, and hoped he would let her go. She had an idea what these signs might portend.