A little woman in black showed in the gloom.
Laura said, "Are you Mrs.Scott ?" But to her horror the woman answered, "Walk in please, miss," and she was shut in the passage.
"No," said Laura, "I don't want to come in.

I only want to leave this basket.

Mother sent--" The little woman in the gloomy passage seemed not to have heard her.
"Step this way, please, miss," she said in an oily voice, and Laura followed her.
She found herself in a wretched little low kitchen, lighted by a smoky lamp.

There was a woman sitting before the fire.
"Em," said the little creature who had let her in.

"Em! It's a young lady." She turned to Laura.