“I believe he’s a sailor of some sort. I think he calls himself a captain, but not, of course, in the Navy.”
“No, if he had been, I should have heard of it. I don’t much mind about his profession. It’s his character, his impressionability, his income, I’m after. And his age. That’s rather important, but he can hardly be a stripling.”
“Really, Hannah—Now, let me show you these little bags I’m making for Christmas presents,” she said brightly as the maid came in. “Pretty, aren’t they?”
“Very pretty,” Hannah said, wondering which one she would get. Lilla’s presents to people like herself would be of the hashed-mutton variety, and Hannah was glad. A handsome present from Lilla would have been difficult to accept and, so far, she had not been put to that inconvenience.
“I thought one of these would do very well for Ethel Corder.”
“She’d love it, but give her a gaudy one, and put a modest little cheque inside.”
“I don’t think I need reminding of that,” Lilla said coldly. “First and last, I do a good deal for the Corders.”
“And Ethel’s devoted to you. If I wasn’t devoted to you myself, I should get rather tired of hearing your name. And little does she suspect that you and I were practically fed at the same bosom. Figuratively speaking, Lilla, figuratively speaking! And I’ve heard Mr. Corder use that expression himself.”
“Not about human beings,” Lilla said, “and I don’t like it.”
“But between us girls!” Hannah protested mildly. “You must give me a little licence, and that reminds me of another thing I want to ask you. Do you know an old man called Samson, who lives next door to us in Beresford Road? Keeps a parrot and dozens of cats.”
“I’ve heard the parrot and a very objectionable noise it makes. Isn’t he a common old man with a red face?”
“Yes, gloriously common,” Hannah said. “That’s why I like him. I’m common myself. There’s no need to think before you speak, with him. It does me good. I’ve made friends with him, Lilla, you won’t be surprised to hear. He’s had bronchitis lately, and I’ve been doing his shopping for him, and if there are any coppers in his change he lets me keep them for my trouble, on condition that I don’t put them in the plate on Sunday.”
“Then, if that’s the truth, and I don’t suppose it is, I think you’re very unwise. Isn’t there anybody else to do it for him?”
“Not a soul, poor old dear. He looks after the house himself, and very neat and clean it is, in spite of the cats.”
“Then it’s still more unwise, but, of course, I don’t really believe you’d take the man’s money.”
“That the truest part of a perfectly true tale. Funny, isn’t it? It pleases him and I don’t mind a bit. It doesn’t often come to more than twopence halfpenny, because I do some juggling with sixpences and threepenny-bits.”
“Well, you’d better be careful. You were not engaged to look after the neighbours and, from what I remember of the man, I don’t think Mr. Corder would approve of the acquaintance.”
“Ah,” said Hannah, “that’s where I score. I happen to have a trump card up my sleeve and out it will come when it’s wanted, I confess I’m looking forward to the moment.”
“Oh, well,” Lilla sighed, “it’s no good talking to you. You’ll go your own way and you’ll come to grief and it will be most unpleasant for me.”
“We have to bear each other’s burdens, dear,” Hannah said quietly. “And I’ll have another crumpet, if I may. They’re so beautifully buttery.”
“Very indigestible, I’m afraid. I daren’t touch them.”
“And a crumpet that isn’t swimming in butter is about as much use as a ship in dry dock. I’ll try that little aphorism on Uncle Jim—if it is an aphorism. I’ll look it up. If you want to give me a Christmas present, Lilla, give me a dictionary.”
“Mr. Corder must have dozens of dictionaries.”
“Well, they’re not mine—yet,” Hannah said.
Lilla pretended not to hear this remark. “I’m going to give you one of these little bags. And now,” Hannah was waiting for this, “what do you want my advice about?”
“No, no, I’m not going to worry you, but,” she leaned forward eagerly, “I must just ask you one question. Have you ever heard that Mr. Corder walks in his sleep? That’s my one hope, Lilla. Did Mrs. Corder ever complain of that, among other things?”
“Mrs. Corder never complained of anything. Why should she?”
“There’s a skeleton in every cupboard. Now I wonder how that saying arose. We go on, using these expressions, part of our common heritage, Lilla—”
“I wish you wouldn’t harp so much on being common, but just keep the fact to yourself.”
Hannah put down her cup with a shaking hand. “You shouldn’t make me laugh when I’m drinking. Oh, Lilla, what a treasure you are! All right, I won’t. But it’s part of our heritage, all the same, and neither you nor I know where it comes from. Now, the kind of dictionary I want is the kind that will tell me things like that. I’m afraid it will be rather expensive.”
“I don’t see what you want with a dictionary, and I haven’t a skeleton in my cupboard and I don’t believe there’s one in Robert Corder’s. You’d better speak plainly, Hannah.”
“I’ll speak as plainly as I can without being improper, though, really it wasn’t so very improper because I pretended to be asleep, as any nice woman would, but imagine my horror when Mr. Corder opened my bedroom door and came and had a look at me. It wasn’t a long look, and I don’t wonder, but a look it was! Now, how can you explain that?”
“I can’t,” Lilla said slowly, “but I’m sure you can. It’s no good trying those tricks on me, Hannah, and if it had really happened you wouldn’t have told me. I hope you won’t try them on anyone else. In
