Phyllis Bottome

“ Fanny drew back as if Emily had struck her.
"Oh, I could n't do that!" she exclaimed breathlessly. "It's bad enough for them to be orphans; they don't want a girl like me to look after them. You don't understand. Miss Dering; except for ladies who want servants cheap and laundries there is n't much work I could do. I'm not strong enough for factories."
"Oh, no, no!" said Emily. "But, my dear Fanny, you must be wrong. You are educated; surely we can find something more suitable." ”

“ Men know so much about work, don't they?"
Fanny's eyes lifted themselves again to Geoffrey.
"Some do," she admitted; but she did not look as if she thought Geoffrey was one of them.
"Poor Fanny," Emily went on gently, "has been so very ill! We don't want to rush her into anything, Geoffrey; we only want to talk things over. Before we really settle anything, I want her to have a fortnight at the seaside. We ought to be able to manage it." ”

“ It's very strange, too, for I was hoping that just now I might find some one we were specially meant to help together, and I am sure it is Fanny. She has simply been sent to us."
"What for?" asked Geoffrey, nervously. "I mean—who is Fanny?"
"She's just a girl," Emily said softly, "who has been cut to pieces by life. I found her in a hospital—the one I always visit. She's had a terrible operation, but when I came across her she was just going to be sent out, with no home or friends to be sent to, and no money. Is n't civilization awful? She's almost a lady. ”