Joe, the poor darling, had formed the idea (she did not say from his first wife) that if a man is in love with a woman he must express it by loading her down with things which cost a lot of money, that he must work for her, slave for her! But Ethel was putting an end to that.

They had taken back Susette's old nurse, for it was unfair to one's husband to be a child's slave if there was no need.

But she had refused to get other servants.

Emily Giles was still in charge, and though Emily of her own accord had gone to a shop on Fifth Avenue and purchased caps and aprons, "the nattiest things this side of France," she wore them with a genial air and spoke of them as "my uniform." Ethel took care of her own room and helped Emily with the cleaning.

She had kept expenses firmly down, and she had refused to be loaded with gifts.
When Joe had urged that his affairs were going so much better now, she had said in her new decisive voice: "I'm so glad to hear it, my love, for it simply means you've no earthly excuse for staying late at your office.