After her first shock of dismayed surprise to find that Piper was married at all, she had imagined Piper's wife as something young and, of course, in a way, attractive and easily managed.
"Did you ever come down to my house in Essex ?" she asked, still trying to speak pleasantly.
"No, Modam, I never was there.

Piper and I 'as always kep' clear of each other's jobs, and I wouldn't be interfering _now_, but that the matter's becoming serious.

Piper's worse than no good when 'e's idle." She hesitated, then went on, "If 'e's to keep off 'is failing, 'e must be working." There was a pause, and then Enid Crofton spoke, in a low, uncertain tone.
"Believe me, Mrs.Piper, when I say that I really will do all I can for him.

But it's not easy now to hear of good jobs, and Piper doesn't seem easy to suit." "You wouldn't care to take my 'usband on again yourself, Modam ?" Again there followed that curious pause which somehow filled Enid with a vague fear.
"I wish I could," she said at last, "but I can't afford it, Mrs.Piper.
As a matter of fact, I've done a foolish thing in coming here, to Beechfield, at all.

Only the other day one of my husband's relations advised me to let the house." "Piper thinks, Modam, as how you might 'elp 'im to a job with Major Radmore." The name tripped quickly off the speaker's tongue, as if she was quite used to the sound.
Enid felt a throb of dismay.