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But while there was nothing lovely, there was nothing unpleasant or uncomely in Miss Balquidder.
Miss Balquidder considered a moment, and then said, rather shortly, for it was not exactly acting on her own principles; she knew the pay was above the work. "I will give you a hundred a year." A hundred a year! actually certain, and over and above any other income. It seemed a fortune to poor Hilary. "Will you give me a day or two to think about it and consult my sisters?"
While she talked her companion had quite recovered herself, and Miss Balquidder then went on to explain, what I will tell more briefly, if less graphically, than the good Scotchwoman, who, like all who have had a hard struggle in their youth, liked a little to dilate upon it in easy old age.
She turned over plan after plan, and went back upon hope after hope, that had risen and broken like waves of the sea nothing happening that she had expected; the only thing which had happened, or which seemed to have any permanence or reality, being two things which she had never expected at all Selina's marriage, and her own engagement with Miss Balquidder.
Unlike him, he had a vulgar taste in letters; scarce flying higher than the story papers; probably finding no difference, certainly seeking none, between Tannahill and Burns; his noblest thoughts, whether of poetry or music, adequately embodied in that somewhat obvious ditty, "Will ye gang, lassie, gang To the braes o' Balquidder."
Moreover, it was her invariable rule to treat all her employees alike "making no step-bairns" among them. Thus for some time it had happened that Hilary had been, and felt herself to be, just Miss Leaf, the book keeper, doing her duty to Miss Balquidder, her employer, and neither expecting nor attaining any closer relation.
"You are very good, and I am exceedingly obliged to you; but I never borrowed money in my life. It is quite impossible." "Very well; I can understand your feelings. I beg your pardon," replied Miss Balquidder, also somewhat coldly. They sat silent and awkward, and then the elderly lady took out a pencil and began to make calculations in her memorandum book.
Miss Balquidder had, like most folk, her opinions or "crotchets" as they might be and one of them was, to keep her business and friendly relations entirely distinct and apart. Whenever she went to Kensington or her other establishments she was always emphatically "the mistress" a kindly and even motherly mistress, certainly, but still authoritative, decided.
"I said that in two days the matter should be arranged, and so it must be, or the man will think we too break our promises." "You can assure him to the contrary," said Selina, with dignity. "In fact, why can't you arrange with him without going at all to Miss Balquidder?" Again the fierce, bitter expression returned to Hilary's face.
She told him, in brief, the history of the last year or two, and then added: "But after all it is hardly worth the telling, because, you see, we are very comfortable now. Poor Ascott, we suppose, must be in Australia. I earn enough to keep Johanna and myself, and Miss Balquidder is a good friend to us. We have repaid her, and owe nobody any thing. Still, we have suffered a great deal.
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