She won't let her daughters go about with me.

I can't imagine how she ever fixed upon anyone so--" "So what ?" said Mrs.Friend, after a moment, nervously.

Lost in the big white arm-chair, her small hand propping her small face and head, she looked even frailer than she had looked in the library.
"Well, nobody would ever take you for my jailer, would they ?" said Helena, surveying her.
Mrs.Friend laughed--a ghost of a laugh, which yet seemed to have some fun in it, far away.
"Does this seem to you like prison ?" "This house?
Oh, no.

Of course I shall do just as I like in it.

I have only come because--well, my poor Mummy made a great point of it when she was ill, and I couldn't be a brute to her, so I promised.