No, he would come back.
She sat there thinking out her plans. She was suddenly clear,
determined, resourceful, all the things that she had never been in
her life before. First she must see the landlady; next she must go
to the shops--but suppose he should return while she was there, pack
his bag and leave for ever? She must risk that. She thought that he
would not return at once because he would want, as he said, "to tire
her out." "To tire her out!" She laughed at that. She looked about
the room and decided how she would improve it. She nodded to
herself. Yes, and the bedroom too. All this time she was so happy
that she could scarcely prevent herself from singing aloud.
She went out, down the dark stairs, and found the maid, under a
swinging candle-flame, still scrubbing. How strange that in that
short space of time, when the whole of life had altered for her,
that girl had been on her knees scrubbing!
"Could you tell me, please," she asked, "whether I could see
somebody who is in charge of this house--the landlady or--"
"Is there anything I can do?" said a voice behind her.
She turned to find a short stout woman in voluminous black--black
bonnet, black cape, black gloves--watching her with sharp bright
eyes.
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