his neck, la-de-da_--'

'Are you going to church this morning?' asked her sister.

'Yes. Are you?'

'Come for a walk instead. There's something I want to talk to you
about.'

'Won't it do afterwards? I've got an appointment.'

'With Lord?'

Fanny laughed and nodded.

Interrupted by the reappearance of the servant, who brought a tray
and began to lay the table, they crossed the hall to the
drawing-room. In half-an-hour's time a sluttish meal was prepared
for them, and whilst they were satisfying their hunger, the door
opened to admit Mrs. Peachey. Ada presented herself in a costume
which, at any season but high summer, would have been inconveniently
cool. Beneath a loose thin dressing-gown her feet, in felt slippers,
showed stockingless, her neck was bare almost to the bosom, and the
tresses of pale yellow, upon which she especially prided herself,
lay raggedly pinned together on the top of her flat head. She was
about twenty-eight years old, but at present looked more than
thirty. Her features resembled Fanny's, but had a much less amiable
expression, and betokened, if the thing were possible, an inferior
intellect. Fresh from the morning basin, her cheeks displayed that
peculiar colourlessness which results from the habitual use of