“He seemed a very kind person, Mr Holmes. I had no money. I could not even buy food. But why was he giving me so much money? I decided to ask a few questions.
“ ‘Where do you live, sir?’ I asked .
“ ‘in a house called the Copper Beeches. It is in the country, eight kilometers from Winchester.”
“ ‘And what shall I have to do ?”
“ ‘I have a son who is six years old. You will look after him and teach him. My wife will sometimes ask you to do things. It won’t be anything difficult. She will give you a dress and sometimes she will ask you to wear it. Will you do that?”
“ ‘Of course,’ I agreed.
“ ‘Sometimes she will ask you to sit near the window. Will you do that?”
“ ‘Yes, I will.”
“ ‘ And you will have to cut your hair short.”
“ ‘As you can see, Mr Holmes,” said Violet Hunter, “I have very long hair. I did not want to cut it short.
“ ‘I am afraid not,’ I told him . ‘I don’t live short hair.’
“ ‘But my wife does not like long hair,’ he said. ‘You will have to cut it .”
“ ‘No, sir, I do not want to cut it,’ I answered.”
“ ‘Then I can’t give you the job,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry.’ He turned to Miss Stoper. ‘I would like to see some more of your young ladies.’
“Miss Stoper was angry. ‘Do you want me to find you a job?’ she asked.
“ ‘Yes,’ I answered.
“ ‘Why?’ she said. ‘You have just refused a very good offer. Goodbye, Miss Hunter.”“Well, Mr Holmes, I returned to my rooms. I had no food and no money.