‘What an extraordinary woman,’ said Ethelberta.  ’A perfect Cinderella.  The idea of Joey getting desperate about a woman like that; no doubt she has just come in from meeting him.’

’No doubt—­a blockhead.  That’s his taste, is it!  I’ll soon see if I can’t cure his taste if it inclines towards Mrs. Menlove.’

‘Mrs. what?’

‘Menlove; that’s her name.  She came about a fortnight ago.’

‘And is that Menlove—­what shall we do!’ exclaimed Ethelberta.  ’The idea of the boy singling out her—­why it is ruin to him, to me, and to us all!’

She hastily explained to her father that Menlove had been Lady Petherwin’s maid and her own at some time before the death of her mother-in-law, that she had only stayed with them through a three months’ tour because of her flightiness, and hence had learnt nothing of Ethelberta’s history, and probably had never thought at all about it.  But nevertheless they were as well acquainted as a lady and her maid well could be in the time.  ‘Like all such doubtful characters,’ continued Ethelberta, ’she was one of the cleverest and lightest-handed women we ever had about us.  When she first came, my hair was getting quite weak; but by brushing it every day in a peculiar manner, and treating it as only she knew how, she brought it into splendid condition.’

‘Well, this is the devil to pay, upon my life!’ said Mr. Chickerel, with a miserable gaze at the bundle of clothes and the general situation at the same time.  ’Unfortunately for her friendship, I have snubbed her two or three times already, for I don’t care about her manner.  You know she has a way of trading on a man’s sense of honour till it puts him into an awkward position.  She is perfectly well aware that, whatever scrape I find her out in, I shall not have the conscience to report her, because I am a man, and she is a defenceless woman; and so she takes advantage of one’s feeling by making me, or either of the menservants, her bottle-holder, as you see she has done now.’

‘This is all simply dreadful,’ said Ethelberta.  ’Joey is shrewd and trustworthy; but in the hands of such a woman as that!  I suppose she did not recognize me.’

‘There was no chance of that in the dark.’

‘Well, I cannot do anything in it,’ said she.  ’I cannot manage Joey at all.’

‘I will see if I can,’ said Mr. Chickerel.  ’Courting at his age, indeed—­what shall we hear next!’

Chickerel then accompanied his daughter along the street till an empty cab passed them, and putting her into it he returned to the house again.

29.  Ethelberta’s dressing-room—­Mr. Doncastle’s house