Robin turned to Cornelius Allendyce and clung to his arm. He seemed the
one nice friendly thing in the whole place. And, as though he knew how
she felt, he patted her hand in a way that seemed to say, "Courage, my
dear."
Mrs. Budge recovered her tongue. "She'll not be wanting the young
_master's_ room," she said crisply. "Madame's orders--"
"I would suggest that Miss Gordon decide for herself what room she will
have." The lawyer's voice carried a rebuke that was not lost upon the
housekeeper. "Harkness, carry the bags upstairs and Miss Gordon and I
will follow."
So Harkness' reception line broke up; the gardener and the undergardener
and their wives following Mrs. Budge's stiff back out through the
service door while Harkness led Robin and her new guardian up the broad
stairway.
In the kitchen, for very want of strength, Mrs. Budge flopped into a
chair.
"Sixes and sevens!" she gasped. "I'll say that things _are_ just going
to sixes and sevens. I've always distrusted all lawyer-men and this one
ain't a bit different. Bringing a _girl_ here, and a cripple. Did you
ever hear the like?" She looked from one to the other of Harkness'
retainers and answered herself with the same breath.
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