Cashel Byron's Profession

"You are very kind," she replied, stiffly; "but our positions are

quite different, Miss Carew. The fact is that I cannot afford to

live an idle life. We are very poor, and my mother is partly

dependent on my exertions."

"I think you will be able to exert yourself to good purpose if you

come to me," said Lydia, unimpressed. "It is true that I shall give

you very expensive habits; but I will of course enable you to

support them."

"I do not wish to contract expensive habits," said Alice,

reproachfully. "I shall have to content myself with frugal ones

throughout my life."

"Not necessarily. Tell me, frankly: how had you proposed to exert

yourself? As a teacher, was it not?"

Alice flushed, but assented.

"You are not at all fitted for it; and you will end by marrying. As

a teacher you could not marry well. As an idle lady, with expensive

habits, you will marry very well indeed. It is quite an art to know

how to be rich--an indispensable art, if you mean to marry a rich

man."

"I have no intention of marrying," said Alice, loftily. She thought

it time to check this cool aristocrat. "If I come at all I shall

come without any ulterior object."

"That is just what I had hoped. Come without condition, or second

thought of any kind."

"But--" began Alice, and stopped, bewildered by the pace at which

the negotiation was proceeding. She murmured a few words, and waited

for Lydia to proceed. But Lydia had said her say, and evidently

expected a reply, though she seemed assured of having her own way,

whatever Alice's views might be.

"I do not quite understand, Miss Carew. What duties?--what would you

expect of me?"

"A great deal," said Lydia, gravely. "Much more than I should from a

mere professional companion."

"But I am a professional companion," protested Alice.

"Whose?"

Alice flushed again, angrily this time. "I did not mean to say--"

"You do not mean to say that you will have nothing to do with me,"

said Lydia, stopping her quietly. "Why are you so scrupulous, Miss

Goff? You will be close to your home, and can return to it at any

moment if you become dissatisfied with your position here."

Fearful that she had disgraced herself by ill manners; loath to be

taken possession of as if her wishes were of no consequence when a

rich lady's whim was to be gratified; suspicious--since she had

often heard gossiping tales of the dishonesty of people in high

positions--lest she should be cheated out of the salary she had come

resolved to demand; and withal unable to defend herself against Miss

Carew, Alice caught at the first excuse that occurred to her.