over her thoughts. As
before, she sought to allay them by undiminished faith in her lover.
She accepted Mr Napper's hospitality in the form of tea and toast at a
branch of the Aerated Bread Company, where she asked him how much she
was in his debt for his services. To her surprise, he replied, "Nothing
at all," and added that he was only too glad to assist her, not only
for Miss Meakin's sake, but because he felt that Mavis dimly
appreciated his intellectuality. Upon Mavis untruthfully replying that
she did, Mr Napper gave a further effort to impress, not only her, but
others seated about them; he talked his jargon of scientific and
philosophical phrases at the top of his voice. She was relieved when
she was rid of his company. She then took train to Shepherd's Bush,
where she called on Miss Meakin as promised. Much to her surprise, Miss
Meakin, who was now robed in a flimsy and not too clean teagown, had
not the slightest interest in knowing if Mavis had recovered her
property; indeed, she had forgotten that Mavis had lost anything. She
was only concerned to know what Mavis thought of Mr Napper, and what
this person had said about herself: on this last matter, Mavis was
repeatedly cross-questioned. Mavis then spoke of a matter she had
thought of on the way down: that of engaging a room at Mrs Scatchard's
if she had one to let. Miss Meakin, however, protested that she had
nothing to do with the business arrangements of the house, and declared
that her aunt had better be consulted.

Upon Mavis interviewing Mrs Scatchard on the matter, the latter
declared that her niece had suggested the subject to her directly after
Mavis had left in the morning, a statement which Miss Meakin did not
appear to overhear. Mrs Scatchard showed Mavis a clean, homely little
room. The walls were decorated with several photographs of
celebrations, which, so far as she could see, were concerned with the
doings of royalty. When it came to the discussion of terms, Mrs
Scatchard pointed out to Mavis the advantage of being in a house rented
by a man like Mr Scatchard, who was "so mixed up with royalty," as she
phrased it; but, partly in consideration of the timely service which
Mavis had once rendered Miss Meakin, and largely on the score that
Mavis boasted of blood (she had done nothing of the kind), Mrs
Scatchard offered her the room, together with use of the bathroom, for
four-and-sixpence a week. Upon Mavis learning that the landlady would
not