7
THE GIRLS of the theatre committee were meeting again that morning, so Ellisandra had no time to solve the problem of a shortage in good workers. It was a fair walk to Tolaki’s house, where they were meeting, and she had to walk very fast—because running would be unladylike—and still came late.
The maid opened the door to her and let her into the hall.
The house was smaller than hers and, being newer, it lacked some of the older features—like those small ornamental windows in all the interior doors that often rattled, let in cold air or even fell out—and had a more compact and practical layout. That meant it was warmer, cosier and looked less like some high-ranking councillor’s office.
Tolaki ran in from the living room the moment the door shut behind Ellisandra and rushed across the
