"How would it do for you to live with Miss Smythe?" suggested Mrs.
M'Alister, looking anxiously at Rhoda. "Now Miss Desborough is going away,
she will want somebody, won't she?"

A smile broke over Rhoda's face. She had never spoken of Pauline's
contemptuous rudeness to her aunt. She had felt too indifferent to her to
be hurt by her behaviour; and since her visit to Leyton, the week before,
she had a special reason for being amused at it. But this she had not
mentioned.

"Miss Smythe would think me very bold if I suggested living with her, Aunt
Mary," she said, in a voice that had a ripple of laughter in it. "But
don't be anxious about me. I can stay here with Mrs. Ellis if I can't hear
of anything I like better. But I will speak to Miss Desborough to-morrow."

As it happened, however, Rhoda did not see Clare next day. When she
arrived at the flat, she found that Lady Desborough had reached town the
day before, and had taken her daughter for a day's shopping with her,
preparatory to their journey into Lincolnshire.

It was Rose who told Rhoda this. Mrs. Richards had gone out to buy some
chops for dinner, and Rose opened the door. Rhoda thought her the
prettiest creature she had ever seen in her life. She had a blue dress on
and a white cooking apron, and her yellow hair was brushed loosely back
from her face and fastened in a loose knot.

"Miss Desborough has left some letters for you to answer," she said to
Rhoda pleasantly. "Can you do them at the side table? I am cooking in the
sitting-room this morning. It was so hot in the kitchen. Miss Smythe will
be in presently. She has a message for you from Clare."