On second thoughts, I had better perhaps let you
into my little secret. I have borrowed ten pounds for Jasmine on that
valuable Spanish lace of her mother's. Do not imagine that the lace is
gone; it will be returned to Jasmine whenever she can refund the
money. It was necessary, dear Primrose, to take it, and I acted as I
am sure you would think right in the matter. Poppy had to be paid her
wages.
"Now, dear Primrose, I want to talk with you very seriously on another
matter. You must own, dear, that though you have tried bravely you
have not yet, any of you, succeeded in earning your living. It is
almost a year since you began to try, and you have made, I fear, but
small headway. You, Primrose, have done best, and have made fewer
mistakes than your sisters, but even you would not care to spend all
your life in continual reading to Mrs. Mortlock. Jasmine can only earn
a precarious and uncertain living by dressing dinner-tables. Of
course, no one even expects dear little Daisy to contribute to the
family purse at present, but at the same time she need not put us into
terrible frights, nor be in the power of wicked and designing people.
My dear girls have had a trial of their own way; and now I think they
ought to take the advice of those older and wiser than themselves.
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