Accompanied By His Wife [antikvár]

CHAPTER I Mrs Enderby Elmes regarded Patricia with vagae, pale blue eyes and slowly shook her head. ' No. I'm afraid, in those circumstances, you would not do at all. 1 don't know how I came to confuse you in my mind with Miss Browne—think it must have been Miss Browne. My memory is so bad—^I'm not very strong, you know." ' If she means she's weak in the head, I agree/ thought Patricia viciously. But aloud she simply said; ' It is ezsy to get strangers mixed, of course. Bat, since I am here, don't you think you might give me a trial? I really would love to look after your two little girls, and-^^ 'Quite impossible!' Mrs Enderby Elmes was em° phatic. 'My dear husband wás quite explicit. He wished the dhildren to be brought up by someone with French training. French children are always taught to behave so beautifully. That was why he wanted an Englislv^Gnam with French experience. He considered it the ideal combination. I could have sworn- Üiat it was your letter which mentioned experience in á French family.' She gazed appealingly at Patricia, as though, even now, Patricia might recollect several years' residence ití France which had slipped her memory for the moment. But Patricia smiled regretfully and shook her head. * I'm Sony, Mrs Elmes. You did indeed confuse my letter with someone else's. I can't claim any experience in a French family.' Mrs Enderby Elmes sighed again. ' Well then, I'm afraid that does settle it. I am very sorry. Naturally, I will pay your fare back to town.' 5