Part 13 (2/2)
”Eh!”
The girl brought her body into the room. Mavis saw a girl who would have had a fine figure if she had been two or three inches taller. She was swarthy, with red lips and fine eyes; she was dressed in showy but cheap evening finery.
”Common and vulgar-minded,” was Mavis's mental comment as she looked at this person.
”Are you the new girl?” the stranger asked.
”Yes.”
”I took you for Bella, the slavey. Sorry! Pleased to meet you.”
”Thank you.”
”Have you just come in from outside?”
”Yes.”
”You didn't see anything of a gentleman in a big motor car?”
”No.”
”I'm expecting my boy in one. He promised to call for me in his motor car to-night and take me out to dinner and supper,” continued the girl.
”I'm rather hungry too,” remarked Mavis.
”Are you going out to dinner and supper?”
”Don't they give supper here?”
”They do,” answered the girl, emphasising the last word, as if to disparage the meal supplied to their young ladies by ”Dawes'.”
”It will have to be good enough for me,” said Mavis, who resented the patronising manner of the other.
”Excuse me,” remarked the dark girl suddenly, as she again craned out of the window.
”Certainly,” said Mavis dryly, as she wondered what had happened to the boxes she had had sent on earlier in the day.
”No sign of him yet. I'm afraid he's had a breakdown,” exclaimed the girl, after looking down the street for some time, a remark to which Mavis paid no attention. The girl went on:
”You were speaking of the supper 'Dawes'' supply. I couldn't eat it myself. I simply lode their food.”
”What?” asked Mavis, whose ears had caught the misp.r.o.nunciation.
”Yes, I simply lode the food they give for supper, the same as Miss Potter and Miss Allen, the other young ladies who sleep in this room.
Indeed, we can only eat restaurant food in the evenings.”
”What's wrong with the supper here?” asked Mavis, nervously thinking of her hearty appet.i.te and the few s.h.i.+llings that remained after settling up with Mrs Ellis.
<script>