Page:The Sea Lady.djvu/114

 "Mermaid's tail! Indeed, Mem! And is it painful at all?"

"Oh, dear, no, it involves no inconvenience—nothing. Except—you understand, there is a need of—discretion."

"Of course, Mem," said Parker, as who should say, "there always is."

"We particularly don't want the servants"

"The lower servants— No, Mem."

"You understand?" and Mrs. Bunting looked up again and regarded Parker calmly.

"Precisely, Mem!" said Parker, with a face unmoved, and so they came to the question of terms. "It all passed off most satisfactorily," said Mrs. Bunting, taking a deep breath at the mere memory of that moment. And it is clear that Parker was quite of her opinion.

She was not only discreet but really clever and handy. From the very outset