If Miss Benson differed from her brother, and ventured to think his sayings or doings might have been improved, Sally came down upon her like a thunder-clap.
"My goodness gracious, Master Thurstan, when will you learn to leave off meddling with other folks' business! Here, Ben! help me up with these trunks." The little narrow passage was cleared, and Miss Benson took Ruth into the sitting-room.

There were only two sitting-rooms on the ground-floor, one behind the other.

Out of the back room the kitchen opened, and for this reason the back parlour was used as the family sitting-room; or else, being, with its garden aspect, so much the pleasanter of the two, both Sally and Miss Benson would have appropriated it for Mr Benson's study.

As it was, the front room, which looked to the street, was his room; and many a person coming for help--help of which giving money was the lowest kind--was admitted, and let forth by Mr Benson, unknown to any one else in the house.

To make amends for his having the least cheerful room on the ground-floor, he had the garden bedroom, while his sister slept over his study.