Hooper had chosen to think the laughing sympathy and evident desire to
please "affectation," or patronage, and had been vexed in her silent
corner to see how little her own two girls could hold their own beside
Constance.

As for Lord Risborough, he had frankly found it difficult to remember
Mrs. Hooper's identity, while on the other hand he fell at once into
keen discussion of some recent finds in the Greek islands with Ewen
Hooper, to whom in the course of half an hour it was evident that he
took a warm liking. He put up his eye-glass to look at the Hooper
children; he said vaguely, "I hope that some day you and Mrs. Hooper
will descend upon us in Rome;" and then he hurried his wife away with
the audible remark--"We really must get to Blenheim, Ellie, in good
time. You promised the Duchess--"

So ill-bred--so snobbish--to talk of your great acquaintances in public!
And as for Lady Risborough's answer--"I don't care twopence about the
Duchess, Hugh! and I haven't seen Ewen for six years,"--it had been
merely humbug, for she had obediently followed her husband, all
the same.

Recollections of this kind went trickling through Mrs. Hooper's mind,
roused by Ewen's angry defence of his sister. It was all very well, but
now the long-legged child had grown up, and was going to put her--Ellen
Hooper's--daughters in the shade, to make them feel their inferiority,
just as the mother had done with herself. Of course the money was
welcome. Constance was to contribute three hundred a year, which was a
substantial addition to an income which, when all supplemental
earnings--exams, journalism, lectures--were counted, rarely reached
seven hundred. But they would be "led into expenses"--the maid was