She had practical knowledge that Charley had no strong propensity to pay his debts, and she herself was not unaccustomed to answer the emissaries of Mr.Outerman and other greedy tradesmen who were similarly situated.

To Mrs.
Richards herself Charley was not in debt, and she had therefore nothing to embitter her own feelings against him.

Indeed, she had all that fondness for him which a lodging-house keeper generally has for a handsome, dissipated, easy-tempered young man; and when she heard that he had been 'quodded,' immediately made up her mind that steps must be taken for his release.
But what was she to do?
Norman, who she was aware would 'unquod' him immediately, if he were in the way, was down at Hampton, and was not expected to be at his lodgings for two or three days.
After some cogitation, Mrs.Richards resolved that there was nothing for it but to go down to Hampton herself, and break the news to his friends.

Charley would not have been a bit obliged to her had he known it, but Mrs.Richards acted for the best.

There was a train down to Hampton Court that night, and a return train to bring her home again--so off she started.
Mrs.Woodward had on that same afternoon taken down Katie, who was still an invalid;--Norman had gone down with them, and was to remain there for some few days--going up and down every morning and evening.