“She’ll be doling out bonuses to Gerda and me,” he thought. “We shall be hanging on to her skirts! We shall be a dead weight upon her.”

Vividly he recalled the discussion that had taken place in the last few days between himself and Gerda on the subject of how to spend Mr. Urquhart’s two hundred pounds. How childish Gerda was, and how reckless he was! The whole thing was ridiculous⁠ ⁠… with their tiny income to think of spending all this on just smartening up their house!

He knocked lightly now at the teashop door and entered without waiting for a response. He was amazed at the neatness and elegance of what he saw.