"Thank you for letting me see it, my dear," she said in a voice that
trembled a good deal in spite of the intense effort she was making to hide
her agitation. "And now can you make yourself happy in the garden for a
little while? I want you to stay to luncheon with me. I will talk to you
afterwards of the work I want you to do for me. And you must tell me more
about yourself. Try and think of me as a friend, my dear."

She hurried away, not trusting herself to say more just then, and Rhoda
gladly went into the garden. Her heart was very light as she wandered up
and down the turf paths. Miss Merivale's sudden interest in her and the
great kindness with which she spoke when she gave her back the locket did
not surprise her as it might have surprised a girl more versed in the
world's ways. But she was eagerly grateful. She felt it would be easy to
tell Miss Merivale of the hard struggle she and Aunt Mary had had to keep
the younger boys at school and pay the premium for Ned's apprenticeship to
that big engineering firm.

She was sure Miss Merivale would not suppose she wanted money help. She
had talked of giving her work, and it was work that Rhoda was pining for.
Her strong young hands and willing brain were eager to be employed to the
utmost.

It had been a hard blow to hear that she was to lose her post with Miss
Desborough. But perhaps Miss Merivale would be able to help her to get
something better. If she could earn a pound a week, there would be no need
for Aunt Mary to tire her eyes out over that weary needlework. A pound a
week would be riches added to the weekly wages Ned brought home and the
interest from the money they had laid by for a rainy day. There would be
no need for Aunt Mary to work for those hard shop-people any more. And
Rhoda's eyes sparkled as she thought of packing up the last parcel of fine