them. Her doubt was whether Joan would prove sufficiently tractable. She
intended to offer her remunerative work upon the _Nursing News_ without
saying anything about the real motive behind, trusting to gratitude to
make her task the easier.

The second was a clumsy-looking, overdressed woman whom Miss Lavery
introduced as "Mrs. Phillips, a very dear friend of mine, who is going to
be helpful to us all," adding in a hurried aside to Madge, "I simply had
to bring her. Will explain to you another time." An apology certainly
seemed to be needed. The woman was absurdly out of her place. She stood
there panting and slightly perspiring. She was short and fat, with dyed
hair. As a girl she had possibly been pretty in a dimpled, giggling sort
of way. Joan judged her, in spite of her complexion, to be about forty.

Joan wondered if she could be the wife of the Member of Parliament who
occupied the rooms below her in Cowley Street. His name, so the landlady
had told her, was Phillips. She put the suggestion in a whisper to
Flossie.

"Quite likely," thought Flossie; "just the type that sort of man does
marry. A barmaid, I expect."

Others continued to arrive until altogether there must have been about a
dozen women present. One of them turned out to be an old schoolfellow of
Joan's and two had been with her at Girton. Madge had selected those who
she knew would be sympathetic, and all promised help: those who could not
give it direct undertaking to provide introductions and recommendations,
though some of them were frankly doubtful of journalism affording Joan
anything more than the means--not always, too honest--of earning a
living.