POTTERS' ROT
As Joan left the pottery at noon on Monday, it was with the
intention of not returning to her work in the afternoon, that she
might see Mrs. Beaudessart, and say farewell to her sister.
She hardly expected the lady to arrive early, and in the
morning there was no need for her to remain away from the bank, for Sibyll was able herself to do her packing, and the sick boy would be attended to by two willing helps, Polly and Cissie.
Moreover, she was about to lose her sister's earnings, which, though inconsiderable, were of some assistance towards the housekeeping, and Joan foresaw that she would require every penny she was able to scrape together to maintain her little establishment. It was true that there was a small reserve fund that resulted from the sale of the furniture, etc., at Pendabury, but there had been nothing recovered from the bank, after the expenses of her father's funeral had been discharged; and what had been overdrawn for the sake of his rash speculations, she had been obliged to refund from the money obtained by the sale.
She was resolved to set aside for her sister the major portion
of the sum at her disposal. It would not be reasonable to expect
that the Beaudessarts, though taking her into their house, should
find her in clothing and pocket-money. It was probable that they
would do this, but she had no right to reckon on it.
For herself she was confident. She knew her own powers and
skill. She was rapidly mastering the difficulties of the art of
painting on porcelain, and all she would shortly require would be
an opening for doing work that would be remunerative on a higher
scale than the mere mechanical drudgery to which she was at
present tied down. She could not hope for promotion from Mr. Mangin, but if she was not advanced at Fennings' bank, in course of time, she would endeavour to obtain work in another.
She had no thought of appealing to the proprietor, although he
had promised to keep his eye on her, and the look he had given
her as she left the sitting-room of Lavender Lodge had been
encouraging.
For the sake of her sister, to protect her, she would have
done this; but for herself, she preferred to be independent. Mr. Fenning was, as she could judge from his countenance, a plain, straightforward, and right-feeling man, a man to be depended upon, who, when he said a thing, said it with the intention of following up his words by action; but it would be a serious step to appeal to the head of the firm against the manager, and this she certainly would not do about such a matter as her own advancement.
As Joan left the potbank, she saw a pale, worn woman of middle
age, who followed her. At first she made no account of this. The
woman was but one of the hands of Fennings' or some other bank, leaving work and returning home for her midday meal, or going to one of the eating-houses, where, for a reasonable sum, it was possible to obtain a good dinner, should the distance of residence from the bank make a return home inconvenient.
But when she arrived at No. 16, she saw the same woman hanging
behind, with a look as though she would like to speak to her.
Joan was, however, hurried by observing a cab standing before
her door, with Sibyll's box on the roof, and this distracted her
attention from her follower.
Mrs. Beaudessart had arrived at an earlier hour than had been
anticipated by Joan, and Joan hastened to enter No. 16, and meet
the lady, and clasp her hands and express thanks for her goodness
to Sibyll.
"Not at all," said Mrs. Beaudessart. "It is you who are
conferring a favour on me, and that one by no means
inconsiderable. Do not be anxious about your sister. I will take
the utmost care of her, and see to her interests, and concern
myself with her future."
Sibyll, who was in the room, looked roguishly out of the
corners of her eyes at Joan, and pursed her lips, and put just
the point of her tongue to her cheek—telling her as plainly as
if she had spoken, that she, Sibyll herself, purposed concerning
herself about her own future.
Then the girl ran upstairs to cast her eye about the bedroom
and assure herself that nothing had been left behind.