She never went into a new place but with the feeling that she was of more importance by far than her untried mistress, and the worthier person of the two.

She entered her service, therefore, as one whose work it was to take care of herself against a woman whose mistress she ought to have been, had Providence but started her with her natural rights.

At the same time, she would have been _almost_ as much offended by a hint that she was not a Christian, as she would have been by a doubt whether she was a lady.

For, indeed, she was both, if a great opinion of herself constituted the latter, and a great opinion of going to church constituted the former.
She had not been taken into Hesper's confidence with regard to Mary, had discovered that "a young person" was expected, but had learned nothing of what her position in the house was to be.

She welcomed, therefore, this opportunity both of teaching Mrs.Redmain--she never called her her _mistress_, while severely she insisted on the other servants' speaking of her so--the propriety of taking counsel with her housekeeper and of letting the young person know in time that Mrs.
Perkin was in reality her mistress.
The relation of the upper servants of the house to their employers was more like that of the managers of an hotel to their guests.