Again she shrank a little from her task, again her spirit reasserted itself.
She moved and brought her face somewhat more into the shadow.

Then she spoke again.

She wisely dropped the subject of feminine affinities.

She plunged at once into the object of her visit, which directly concerned Miss Martha Wallingford, and Margaret, who was as astute in her way as the girl, knew that she was entirely right in assuming that Martha Wallingford was more interested in herself than anything else in the world.
"My dear," she said, "I may as well tell you at once why I intruded upon you this morning." "Please do," said Martha Wallingford.
"As I said before, I deeply regret that I was unable to bring some well-known person, Mrs.Fay-Wyman, for instance, to make us acquainted in due form, but--" "Oh, I don't care a bit about that," said Martha.

"What is it ?" Margaret again started a little.