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JANE - The Lion's Share
| | Page 91 of 228 | | |
"We've begun, ye see," said Susan Foley.
It was two minutes past five, and Miss Ingate and Audrey, followed by Nick with her slung arm, entered the sheeted living-room. Tremendous feats had been performed. All the Moncreiff and Ingate luggage, less than two hours earlier lying at the Charing Cross Hotel, was now in two adjoining rooms on the third floor of the great house in Paget Gardens. Drivers and loiterers had assisted, under the strict and taciturn control of Susan Foley. Also Nick, Miss Ingate, and Audrey had had a most intimate conversation, and the two latter had changed their attire to suit the station of campers in a palace.
"It's lovely to be quite free and independent," Audrey had said, and the statement had been acclaimed.
Jane Foley was seated opposite her sister at the small table plainly set for five. She rose vivaciously, and came forward with outstretched hand. She wore a blue skirt and a white blouse and brown boots. She was twenty-eight, but her rather small proportions and her plentiful golden, fluffy hair made her seem about twenty. Her face was less homely than Susan's, and more mobile. She smiled somewhat shyly, with an extraordinary radiant cheerfulness. It was impossible for her to conceal the fact that she was very good-natured and very happy. Finally, she limped.
"Susan _will_ have the meals prompt," she said, as they all sat down. "And as Susan left home on purpose to look after me, of course she's the mistress. As far as that goes, she always was."
Susan was spreading jam on a slice of bread-and-butter for the one-armed Nick.
"I dare say you don't remember me playing the barrel organ all down Regent Street that day, do you?" said Miss Ingate.
"Oh, yes; quite well. You were magnificent!" answered Jane, with blue eyes sparkling.
"Well, though I only just saw you--I was so busy--I should remember you anywhere, Miss Foley," said Miss Ingate.
"Do you notice any difference in her?" questioned Susan Foley harshly.
"N-o," said Miss Ingate. "Except, perhaps, she looks even younger."
"Didn't you notice she's lame?"
"Oh, well--yes, I did. But you didn't expect me to mention that, did you? I thought your sister had just sprained her ankle, or something."
"No," said Susan. "It's for life. Tell them about it, Jenny. They don't know."
Jane Foley laughed lightly.
"It was all in the day's work," she said. "It was at my last visit to Holloway."
Audrey, gazing at her entranced, like a child, murmured with awe:
"Have you been to prison, then?"
"Three times," said Jane pleasantly. "And I shall be going again soon. I'm only out while they're trying to think of some new way of dealing with me, poor things! I'm generally watched. It must cost them a fearful lot of money. But what are they to do?"
"But how were you lamed? I can't eat any tea if you don't tell me--really I can't!" 
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