Page:The Confessions of a Well-Meaning Woman.djvu/251

 as if he had seen a ghost. This girl had dared to call for him at his club! I am thankful to say that he kept his head and refused resolutely to see her, but we never imagined that she was in London. . . And we both knew that we should now never be safe even in our own house. She had not dared to face me; perhaps she made a good guess what kind of reception I should feel it my duty to give her; she was clever enough to know that a woman would see through her in a moment. . . But she would make for Will the moment she thought my back was turned. . . It was then that I gave those orders to the servants. There had been one or two cases in the papers, you may remember, of people who called on chance and walked off with whatever they could lay their hands on. I made this the text for my little homily. And it was not a moment too soon! The girl called that same afternoon and asked to see my boy. . . She called daily, refusing to take “no” for an answer. Mr. William Spenworth not at home? When would he be home? . . . But for this dinner to Sir Appleton, I should have insisted on sending Will right away, but I had to hold my hand until the Chinese appointment had been arranged. The servants were instructed to say that they did not know. ..