In fact, she had tried to manage Agatha's, but was forced to admit without much success.

Agatha, she said, was difficult.
For all that, it had given her keen satisfaction to bring the girl there when she was threatened by a nervous breakdown in consequence of over-work.

Agatha had been her confidential friend when they were at school, but since Mabel married she had sometimes felt that the confidence had been rather one-sided.

She had told Agatha much, but the latter had said little about her future plans.
"I don't think you're very much better yet," Mrs.Farnam said after a pause in the talk, for she was seldom silent long.
Agatha languidly looked about the room, noting the warm color of the polished floor, on which the light of the shaded lamp lay in a glistening pool, the fine skin rugs, and thick curtains.

She had not an exaggerated love of comfort and her Toronto rooms were bare, but she owned that Mabel had a pretty house.