day, at the hour and the half. Mr Lilly likes his days run very regular. You''ll find that out.''
''And Miss Lilly?'' I said, picking crumbs from the corner of my mouth. ''What does she like?''
She smoothed her apron. ''Miss Maud likes what her uncle likes,'' she answered.
Then she rearranged her lips. She said,
''You''ll know, Miss Smith, that Miss Maud is quite a young girl, for all that she''s mistress of this great house. The servants don''t trouble her, for the servants answer to me. I should have said I had been a housekeeper long enough to know how to secure a maid for my own mistress—but there, even a housekeeper must do as she is bid, and Miss Maud''ve gone quite over my head in this matter. Quite over my head. I shouldn''t have thought that perfectly wise, in a girl of her years; but we shall see how it turns out.''
I said, ''I am sure whatever Miss Lilly does must turn out well.''
She said, ''I have a great staff of servants, to make sure that it does. This''is a well-kept house, Miss Smith, and I hope you will take to it. I don''t know what you might be used to in your last place. I don''t know what might be considered a lady''s maid''s duties, in London. I have never been there''—she had never been to London!—''so cannot say. But if you mind my other girls, then I am sure they will mind you. The men and the stable-boys, of course, I hope I shall never see you talking with more than you can help