But afterwards? She shivered at the word. Yes, afterwards she would
go! And Pamela should reign.
Suddenly, in a back passage, leading from her office to the
housekeeper's room, she came upon a boy of fourteen, Forest's
hall-boy, really a drudge-of-all-work, on whom essential things
depended. He was sitting on a chair beside the luggage lift absorbed
in some work, over which his head was bent, while an eager tip of
tongue showed through his tightened lips.
'What are you doing, Jim?' Elizabeth paused beside the boy, who had
always appeared to her as a simple, docile creature, not very likely
to make much way in a jostling world.
'Please, Miss, I'm knitting,' said Jim, raising a flushed face.
'Knitting! Knitting what?'
'Knitting a sock for my big brother. He's in France, Miss. Mother
learnt me.'
Elizabeth was silent a moment, watching the clumsy fingers as they
struggled with the needles.
'Are you very fond of your brother, Jim?' she asked at last.
'Yes, Miss,' said the boy, stooping a little lower over his work.
Pages:
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417