Mrs. Sebright had engaged maids for us; a cook and house-parlourmaid.
The cook was called Sarah, the house-parlourmaid Louise. She
was younger than the cook, and pretty, but Mrs. Sebright said
she was not so good a servant.
The house was all ready for us. Mrs. Sebright had ordered in
food, and she was waiting there to receive us. She was like a
little bird, fluttering from room to room; showing us little
things she had done; muslin curtains tacked up behind wash-stands,
rubber knobs on the floors to prevent doors banging backwards,
and so on; she did so hope I would not mind, she said.