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Duff-Whalley looked at the sentimental woman before her with bitter scorn. "It would take more than that to make me cry," she snorted. "I wonder what fool wanted to leave Jean money. Such an unpractical creature! She'll simply make ducks and drakes of it, give it away to all and sundry, pauperise the whole neighbourhood." "Oh, I don't think so," Miss Duncan broke in.
Duff-Whalley looked very like a ferret that wanted to bite; then she smiled and said: "Well, really, it's most kind of you. I'm sure Jean should be very grateful to you. You're a kind of fairy godmother to this little Cinderella. Only Jean must remember that it isn't very nice to come back to drudgery after an hour or two at the ball," and she gave an unpleasant laugh.
Duff-Whalley when that lady desired an answer in the affirmative, but he had condemned himself roundly to himself as a fool as he drove down the glen from Laverlaw. Mrs. Duff-Whalley always gave a long and pretentious meal, and expected everyone to pay for their invitation by being excessively bright and chatty. It was not in the power of the present guests to be either the one thing or the other.
Duff-Whalley, nodding her head knowingly. "All young men like London, so gay, you know, restaurants and theatres and night-clubs " "Oh, I hope not," laughed Pamela. "My brother's rather extraordinary; he cares very little for London pleasures. The open road is all he asks a born gipsy." "Fancy! Well, it's a nice taste too. But I would rather ride in my car than tramp the roads. I like my comforts.
So Jean felt completely demoralised this January afternoon and sat in her most unbecoming dress, with the fire drearily, if economically, banked up with dross, hoping that no one would come near her. And Mrs. Duff-Whalley and her daughter arrived to call. It was at once evident that Mrs. Duff-Whalley was on a very high horse indeed.
"Something robust that can bark and chase cats, and not lie all day on a cushion, like one of those dashed Chinese ..." His voice died away in muttered thunder. Again Mrs. Duff-Whalley reared her head, but Muriel interposed, laughing. "You mustn't really be so severe, Mr. Jowett. I happen to possess two of the 'trifling beasts, and you must come and apologise to them after dinner.
Duff-Whalley gasped despairingly to hear her cherished daughter talking, as she thought, rank treason. "Oh, Muriel, how you can! And your poor father working so hard to make a pile so that we could all be nice and comfortable. And you were his favourite, and I've often thought how proud he would have been to see his little girl so smart and pretty and able to hold her own with the best of them.
Duff-Whalley, you will bring your daughter to one of Jean's parties when you are in London? You have been so very kind to us that we should greatly like to have an opportunity of showing you some hospitality. Do let us know your whereabouts. It would be fun wouldn't it, Jean? to entertain Priorsford friends in London." For a moment Mrs.
"She knows everything about everybody and simply scents out social opportunities. Your name would draw her like a magnet." "Why is she called Duff-Whalley? and where does she live? I'm frightfully intrigued." "As to the first," said Jean, "there was no thought of pleasing either you or me when she was christened or rather when the late Mr. Duff-Whalley was christened.
Jowett when the news was broken to her. It was a party, but only, as Mrs. Duff-Whalley herself would have put it, "a purely local affair," meaning some people on the Hill. Mrs. Jowett sat in her soft-toned room, pouring out tea into fragile cups with hands that seemed to demand lace ruffles, so white were they and transparent.
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