"You are very kind," she replied, stiffly; "but our positions are
quite different, Miss Carew. The fact is that I cannot afford to
live an idle life. We are very poor, and my mother is partly
dependent on my exertions."
"I think you will be able to exert yourself to good purpose if you
come to me," said Lydia, unimpressed. "It is true that I shall give
you very expensive habits; but I will of course enable you to
support them."
"I do not wish to contract expensive habits," said Alice,
reproachfully. "I shall have to content myself with frugal ones
throughout my life."
"Not necessarily. Tell me, frankly: how had you proposed to exert
yourself? As a teacher, was it not?"
Alice flushed, but assented.
"You are not at all fitted for it; and you will end by marrying. As
a teacher you could not marry well. As an idle lady, with expensive
habits, you will marry very well indeed. It is quite an art to know
how to be rich--an indispensable art, if you mean to marry a rich
man."
"I have no intention of marrying," said Alice, loftily. She thought
it time to check this cool aristocrat. "If I come at all I shall
come without any ulterior object."
"That is just what I had hoped. Come without condition, or second
thought of any kind."
"But--" began Alice, and stopped, bewildered by the pace at which
the negotiation was proceeding. She murmured a few words, and waited
for Lydia to proceed. But Lydia had said her say, and evidently
expected a reply, though she seemed assured of having her own way,
whatever Alice's views might be.
"I do not quite understand, Miss Carew. What duties?--what would you
expect of me?"
"A great deal," said Lydia, gravely. "Much more than I should from a
mere professional companion."
"But I am a professional companion," protested Alice.
"Whose?"
Alice flushed again, angrily this time. "I did not mean to say--"
"You do not mean to say that you will have nothing to do with me,"
said Lydia, stopping her quietly. "Why are you so scrupulous, Miss
Goff? You will be close to your home, and can return to it at any
moment if you become dissatisfied with your position here."
Fearful that she had disgraced herself by ill manners; loath to be
taken possession of as if her wishes were of no consequence when a
rich lady's whim was to be gratified; suspicious--since she had
often heard gossiping tales of the dishonesty of people in high
positions--lest she should be cheated out of the salary she had come
resolved to demand; and withal unable to defend herself against Miss
Carew, Alice caught at the first excuse that occurred to her.