Hunger was now added to his causes of discontent.
'Let us have something to eat at once,' he said on entering the house.
'This disorder really won't do: we must manage better somehow.' Without replying, Monica rang the dining-room bell, and gave orders.
Little change had been made in the interior of the house since its master's marriage.

The dressing-room adjoining the principal bed-chamber was adapted to Monica's use, and a few ornaments were added to the drawing-room.

Unlike his deceased brother, Widdowson had the elements of artistic taste; in furnishing his abode he took counsel with approved decorators, and at moderate cost had made himself a home which presented no original features, but gave no offence to a cultivated eye.

The first sight of the rooms pleased Monica greatly.
She declared that all was perfect, nothing need be altered.

In those days, if she had bidden him spend a hundred pounds on reconstruction, the lover would have obeyed, delighted to hear her express a wish.
Though competence had come to him only after a lifetime of narrow means, Widdowson felt no temptation to parsimony.