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Updated: May 18, 2025
He had never spoken to Tom Orgreave before, but Tom seemed ready to treat him at once as an established acquaintance. Then Alicia had to come forward and shake hands. She could not get a word out. "Now, baby!" Charlie teased her. She tossed her mane, and found refuge by her mother's side. Mrs Orgreave caressed the mane into order. "This is Miss Lessways. Hilda Mr Edwin Clayhanger."
"Well, anyhow he's bent on me taking charge of this boarding-house. He will have it it's just the thing for me. But but I don't know!" She finished weakly. "Everyone knows you're a splendid housekeeper," said Mrs. Lessways. "Always were." "I remember the refreshments at your annual dances," said Hilda, politely enthusiastic. "I always attended to those myself," Miss Gailey judicially observed.
It was often astounding to Hilda that her mother never showed any sign of being weary of these topics, nor any desire to discover other topics. "Yes," said Hilda. "Miss Gailey " Mrs. Lessways became instantly a different creature. "And does he know?" she asked blankly, when Hilda had informed her of Janet's visit and news. "Yes. I told him of course." "You?"
Hilda wondered how the old thing managed to conduct her life from day to day with even a semblance of the decency of order. It did not occur to her that for twenty-five years before she was born, and for a long time afterwards, Mrs. Lessways had contrived to struggle along through the world, without her daughter's aid, to the general satisfaction of herself and some others.
Lessways, beaming, as Florrie left the parlour with her big breakfast-cup full of steaming tea, to drink with the thick bread-and-butter on the scrubbed kitchen- table, all by herself. "And don't touch the gas in the kitchen it's quite high enough for young eyes," Mrs. Lessways cried out after her. "Little poppet!" she murmured to herself, maternally reflecting upon Florence's tender youth.
Hilda, whose nervousness was quickly vanishing, came between them to warm her hands that were shining with cold, despite muff and gloves. "Here, mother!" she said teasingly, putting the muff and gloves in her mother's lap. Sarah Gailey rose with slow stiffness from her chair. "Now don't let this child disturb you, Sarah!" Mrs. Lessways protested. "Oh no, Caroline!" said Miss Gailey composedly.
Lessways brusquely left the room. Then Hilda could hear her rattling fussily at the kitchen range. After a few minutes Hilda followed her to the kitchen, which was now nearly in darkness. The figure of Mrs. Lessways, still doing nothing whatever with great vigour at the range, was dimly visible. Hilda approached her, and awkwardly touched her shoulder.
Lessways was not so easy to handle as might be imagined, and that even the cleverest must mind their p's and q's with such a lady. "Oh yes, she is!" Hilda agreed, with an exaggerated emphasis that showed a lack of conviction. Indeed, she had never thought of her mother as a very shrewd lady. Mr. Cannon continued to smile in silence upon the shrewdness of Mrs.
He looked up mildly, expecting a face familiar, and saw one that startled him, and heard a voice that aroused disconcerting vibrations in himself. It was Hilda Lessways. She had in her hand a copy of the "Signal." Over fifteen months had gone since their last meeting, but not since he had last thought of her. Her features seemed strange.
Lessways was very loyal to her former crony, and moreover she had necessarily to support the honour of the older generation against the younger. It seemed incredible to Hilda that this woman who sat with such dignity and such gentility by her mother's fire was she who the day before yesterday had been starving in the pride-imposed prison of her own house.
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