Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

my duties in and suspicion.
    the house for the sake of my trips to the Palace. They fell to But she said nothing; she asked me nothing; and to the rest my sister, though she rarely complained about it. I believe of the family, at least, my continuing friendship with Kitty 45

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    became in time a source not of wonder, but of pride. 'Have silly and a bore. 'Oh, how nice it would be,' she continued, you been to the Palace at Canterbury?' I would hear Father
    'to sit in a proper parlour again, with a proper family - not say to customers as he took their plates. 'Our youngest girl just a room with a bed in it, and a dirty rug, and a bit of is very thick with Kitty Butler, the star of the show ..." By newspaper on the table for a cloth! And how nice to see the end of August, when the oyster season had started again where you live and work; and to catch your train; and to and we were back in the shop full-time, they began to press meet the people that love you, and have you with them all me to bring Kitty home with me, that they might meet her day . . .'
    for themselves.
    It made me fidget and swallow to hear her talk like this, all
    'You are always saying as how she is your pal,' said Father unself-consciously, of how she liked me; tonight, however, one morning at breakfast. 'And besides - what a crime it I had no time even to blush: for as she spoke there came a would be for her to come so near to Whitstable, and never knock at her door - a sharp, cheerful, authoritative knock taste a proper oyster-tea. You bring her over here, before that made her blink and stiffen, and look up in surprise.
    she goes.' The idea of asking Kitty to sup with my family I, too, gave a start. In all the evenings I had spent with her, seemed a horrible one; and because my father spoke so she had had no visitors but the call-boy - who came to tell carelessly about the fact that she would soon have left for a her when she was wanted in the wing - and Tony, who new hall, I made him a stinging reply. A little later Mother sometimes put his head around the door to wish us both took me aside. Was my father's house not good enough for good-night. She had no beau, as I have said; she had no Miss Butler, she said, that I couldn't invite her here? Was I other 'fans' - no friends at all, it seemed, but me; and I had ashamed of my parents, and my parents' trade? Her words always been rather glad of it. Now I watched her step to the made me gloomy; I was quiet and sad with Kitty that night, door, and bit my lip. I should like to say I felt a thrill of and when after the show she asked me why, I bit my lip.
    foreboding, but I did not. I only felt piqued, that our time
    'My parents want me to ask you over,' I said, 'for tea alone together - which I thought little enough! - should be tomorrow. You don't have to come, and I can say you're made shorter.
    busy or sick. But I promised them I'd ask you; and now,' I The visitor was a gentleman: a stranger, evidently, to Kitty, finished miserably, 'I have.'
    for she greeted him politely, but quite cautiously. He had a She took my hand. 'But Nan,' she said in wonder, 'I should silk I hat on his head which - seeing her, and then me love to come! You know how dull it is for me in lurking in the little room behind her - he removed, and held Canterbury, with no one but Mrs Pugh, and Sandy, to talk to his bosom. 'Miss Butler, I believe,' he said; and when she to!' Mrs Pugh was the landlady of Kitty's rooming-house; nodded, he gave a bow: 'Walter Bliss, ma'am. Your Sandy was the boy who shared her landing: he played in the servant.' His voice was deep and pleasant and clear, like band at the Palace, but drank, she said, and was sometimes Tricky's. As he spoke he produced a card from his pocket 47

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    and held it out. In the second or so it took Kitty to gaze at it and a great and and walked like a girl, with her plait and give a little 'Oh!' of surprise, I studied him. He was fastened to the back of her head and a parasol over