Explore "On the Brink of a Chasm" by L.T. Meade on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
When her husband left the house Clara sent for the cook. She gave explicit orders, and the cook was respectful. The woman had lived before now in what she considered high families-families where thirty servants at least were kept. She endeavored to impress Clara, but Clara was not impressed in the very least. The new mistress told the woman exactly what she required, all her remarks were pertinent and to the point, and the cook could not help respecting her.
Clara gave firm orders, short and decisive. The best tradespeople were to be dealt with, the cooking was to be of the highest quality-dainty, _recherché_, agreeable to the palate.