There were, in fact, hypercritical persons
who did not know or notice her, but she had quite an entertaining,
smart circle which neither suspicions nor beliefs prevented from
placing her in their visiting lists. Coombe DID keep it up in the
most perfect manner, some of them said admiringly among themselves.
He showed extraordinarily perfect taste. Many fashionable open
secrets, accepted by a brilliant world, were not half so fastidiously
managed. Andrews knew he had unswervingly lied when he said he
had "spoken to Mrs. Gareth-Lawless." But he never failed to place
her in the position of authority. That he should have presented
himself on the nursery floor was amazingly abnormal enough to
mean some state of mind unregulated by all natural rules. "Him,"
Andrews thought, "that never steps out of a visitor's place in
the drawing-room turning up on the third floor without a word!"
One thing she knew, and that came first. Behind all the polite show
he was the head of everything. And he was one that you'd better
not give back a sound to if you knew what was good for yourself.
Whatever people said against his character, he was one of the
grand and high ones. A word from him--ever so quiet--and you'd be
done for.
She was shaking with fear inwardly, but she undressed Robin and
put her in bed, laying everything away and making things tidy for
the night.
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