"Sorry, my lady, but it won't be convenient for his reverence to stay in
the house to-night," she said.
"Why so?" I said.
"Because Madame has ordered all the rooms to be got ready for the
house-party, and this one," (pointing to the guest's room opposite) "is
prepared for Mr. and Mrs. Eastcliff, and we don't know how soon they may
arrive."
I felt myself flushing up to the eyes at the woman's impudence, and it
added to my anger that Alma herself was standing at the head of the
stairs, looking on and listening. So with a little spurt of injured
pride I turned severely on the one while really speaking to the other,
and said:
"Be good enough to make this room ready for his reverence without one
moment's delay, and please remember for the future, that I am mistress
in this house, and your duty is to obey me and nobody else whatever."
As I said this and turned back to my boudoir, I saw that Alma's deep
eyes had a sullen look, and I felt that she meant to square accounts
with me some day; but what she did was done at once, for going
downstairs (as I afterwards heard from Price) she met my husband in the
hall, where, woman-like, she opened her battery upon him at his weakest
spot, saying:
"Oh, I didn't know your wife was priest-ridden.
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