There were a great
many things together. No; they didn't send me away. I came away because it
suited."
"It was something to do with your having a lover, I suppose." To this Lucy
thought it best to make no answer, and the conversation for a while was
dropped.
Lucy had arrived at about half-past three, and Lady Linlithgow was then
sitting in the drawing-room. After the first series of questions and
answers Lucy was allowed to go up to her room, and on her return to the
drawing-room found the Countess still sitting upright in her chair. She
was now busy with accounts, and at first took no notice of Lucy's return.
What were to be the companion's duties? What tasks in the house were to be
assigned to her? What hours were to be her own; and what was to be done in
those of which the Countess would demand the use? Up to the present moment
nothing had been said of all this. She had simply been told that she was
to be Lady Linlithgow's companion, without salary, indeed, but receiving
shelter, guardianship, and bread and meat in return for her services. She
took up a book from the table and sat with it for ten minutes. It was
Tupper's great poem, and she attempted to read it.
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