The Keepers of the People

621Lady Hammersmith was beyond measure disgusted by her returning in so tame a fashion she felt that her efforts to prove herself a woman of resource had been unfairly foiled: at the least Althea should have been brought back by the police: but remembering of a sudden an important meeting of the Society for the Penalisation of Vice, she was forced to hurry away, without rebuking her. It was not until the next afternoon that she found time to deal with her; then, since long continuance in the pursuit of noble ends had soured her temper, and the gibes of the morning papers at the meeting of the night before had touched it on the raw, she came into Althea’s room with her motherly acerbity properly rankling, and with the words of exaggerated reproof tripping off her tongue.

622“What does this mean, Althea?” she cried. “It is disgraceful of you! — disgraceful! You upset the house! The whole police — the whole police —” she clung to the grateful thought — “of London were hunting for you! You wasted all my afternoon! It was disgraceful!”

623“It wasn’t!” said Althea, flushing. “I never did anything disgraceful in my life!”

624“Do not — do not bandy words with me, you wicked child! What does it mean?” cried Lady Hammersmith.

625“It means that I’m going to look after myself,” said Althea quietly.

626“Look after yourself! What do you mean?” said Lady Hammersmith.

627“Other little girls have people to look after them; governesses, or maids, or mothers. I haven’t, so I’m going to look after myself,” said Althea, in her slow, gentle voice.

628“This is not true! You have a maid, and a governess. I am sorry that a child of mine should tell lies!” said Lady Hammersmith.

629“It is true! I never tell lies!” said Althea fiercely, and her lips began to tremble. “I haven’t seen Miss Blayne or you for three days; and my rooms haven’t been dusted for a week. So I am going to see after myself, don’t you know.”

630The last words were unfortunate: a very echo of Lord Lisdor, they inflamed her mother’s parental indignation to intemperate anger.

631“I see what it is!” she cried. “This comes of staying at Quivern Court! You shall never go there again! — never.” Althea’s face fell. “And that money too! Taking other people’s money is stealing. You ought to be sent to prison for it!”