Spigot, who was on the best of terms
with the 'cook-housekeeper,' and had his clothes washed on the sly in the
laundry, could not do less than communicate the intelligence to her, from
whom it went to the lady's-maid, and thence circulated in the upper
regions.
[Illustration]
Juliana, the maid, finding Miss Amelia less indisposed to hear Mr. Sponge
run down than she expected, proceeded to add her own observations to the
information derived from Leather, the groom. 'Indeed, she couldn't say that
she thought much of Mr. Sponge herself; his shirts were coarse, so were his
pocket-handkerchiefs; and she never yet saw a real gent without a valet.'
Amelia, without any positive intention of giving up Mr. Sponge, at least
not until she saw further, had nevertheless got an idea that she was
destined for a much higher sphere. Having duly considered all the
circumstances of Mr. Spraggon's visit to Jawleyford Court, conned over
several mysterious coughs and half-finished sentences he had indulged in,
she had about come to the conclusion that the real object of his mission
was to negotiate a matrimonial alliance on behalf of Lord Scamperdale.
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