'Not I, child! I only talked so just to tease him. I do so like to tease Luke; he puts on such airs. Let him make money of course, if he can; all the better for him. I'd a deal rather have him doing this than spending all his nights at that club in Westminster Bridge Road, talking nonsense, and worse. Why, he's ever so much better to live with now than he used to be. He really does talk sensible sometimes, and he isn't such a great baby about--about some things.' Mrs. Poole smiled and held her tongue. 'And what's the last news from your sister?' was her next question. 'Oh, I had a letter yesterday,' Lydia replied, her face lighting up. 'It was all about the concert next Wednesday.' 'Well, well! She must be full of it, mustn't she, now? It must be a trying thing, to sing for the first time.' 'But it isn't so bad as if she had to sing alone, you know.' 'No, to be sure; but it must be bad enough even in a choir. Shan't you see her before the night?' 'No. And I shan't be able to speak to her on Wednesday, either. But the next day we shall have all the evening together. She sent me my ticket. Look, I've brought it to show you.' It was a ticket for a concert in one of the suburbs of London. Lydia kept it in an envelope, and handled it with care. Mrs. Poole, before taking it, wiped her hands on her apron, and then held the card between the tips of her thumb and middle finger. 'Will her name be on the programme?' she asked. 'No. They're called Mr. Redfern's choir, that's all.' 'Well, I'm sure it's very nice, and something to be proud of. And she still keeps her health?' 'She says she is very well indeed.' 'Mrs. Poole,' added Lydia, lowering her voice, 'you haven't said anything about it?' 'No, no, my dear; not I.' 'It's better not, I think. Of course it doesn't really matter, but still----' 'Bless you, I understand very well, Lydia. There's no occasion to talk about such things at all. I suppose Mary Bower knows?' 'Oh yes, I told Mary.' 'Wouldn't she have liked to go with you?' 'Yes, I'm sure she would. But I think I'd rather be alone. There'll be another concert before long, I dare say, and then she shall go. It's just this first time, you know.' It was a cosy kitchen, and Lydia, once seated here, seemed to forget about the shopping of which she had spoken. Mrs. Poole's stream of talk was intimate and soothing; plenty of good sense, no scandal, and no lack of blitheness. But at length it was declared to be the children's bed time, and Lydia made this the signal for rising to take her leave. 'Now do sit still!' urged Mrs. Poole. 'You're such a restless body. I've got lots of things I want to talk about yet, if only I could think of them.' 'I really must go,' Lydia pleaded. 'No, you mustn't now, I shan't be a minute getting these children off to bed, and then we'll have just five minutes' comfortable talk. Just sew me a new tape into that apron, there's a good girl. You know where the cotton is--on the dresser up there.'