England -- Social life and customs -- Fiction; Young women -- Fiction
"Why do you think Great-aunt Jane let it to me?" Julia asked. "Because
I went out to work! It seems that father and we three girls are the
nearest relations she had, and though we knew nothing about her, she
made inquiries about us from time to time. When she heard I had gone
abroad as companion or lady-help, she said she should leave all she
had to me because I was the only one who even tried to do any honest
work. You know that is not really strictly fair, because I did not
altogether go with the idea of doing honest work; although, certainly,
when I got there I did it."
Johnny did not quite follow this last, but it did not matter, the only
thing that concerned him--or Julia much, either--was the fact that she
was the possessor of L50 a year, a cottage, a garden, and a field.
Johnny revelled in the idea and talked of what she was going to do
right up to the time that he saw her into the train at Paddington. The
only thing that put an end to his talking was the guard requesting him
to stand away from the carriage door and Julia admonished him to leave
go of the handle before the engine started. Julia herself did not talk
so much of what she would do because she did not know; she felt, until
she got home and saw how things were there, it was no good even to
plan how and when to spend. Five pounds she did spend; it was really
her saving accumulated by economy in Holland, but she reckoned it as
drawn from her estate. Johnny found it in an envelope when he returned
to the back bedroom, and with it a note to say that it was in part
payment of Captain Polkington's debts, for which, of course, his
family were responsible; "and if you make a fuss about it," the letter
concluded, dropping the business-like style, "I shall trim 'Bouquet'
to stink next time you come to Marbridge, and not come and sit with
you."
I think Johnny sat down and wept over that letter; but then he was
rather a silly old man and he had not had a good meal, except last
night's steak and onions, for a fortnight.
CHAPTER XIV
THE END OF THE CAMPAIGN
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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