Now theirs is in-a-doors; their with-drawing-room it's
like the Queen's palace, my missus tells me; she is wrapped up in 'em, ye
know. But the captain for my money."
The sage shouldered his tools and departed. But he left a good hint
behind him. Alfred hovered about the back-door the next day till he
caught Mrs. Maxley; she supplied the house with eggs and vegetables.
"Could she tell him whether his friend Edward Dodd was likely to come
home soon?" She thought not; he was gone away to study. "He haven't much
head-piece, you know, not like what Miss Julia have. Mrs. and Miss are to
be home to-day; they wrote to cook this morning. I shall be there
to-morrow, sartain, and I'll ask in the kitchen when Master Edward is
a-coming back." She prattled on. The ladies of Albion Villa were good
kind ladies; the very maid-servants loved them; Miss was more for
religion than her mother, and went to St. Anne's Church Thursday
evenings, and Sundays morning and evening; and visited some poor women in
the parish with food and clothes; Mrs. Dodd could not sleep a wink when
the wind blew hard at night; but never complained, only came down pale to
breakfast.
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