Of course, we don't expect to pay our way." Marcella gave her explanations with a certain stiffness of self-defence.
She and Lady Winterbourne had evolved a scheme for reviving and improving the local industry of straw-plaiting, which after years of decay seemed now on the brink of final disappearance.

The village women who could at present earn a few pence a week by the coarser kinds of work were to be instructed, not only in the finer and better paid sorts, but also in the making up of the plait when done, and the "blocking" of hats and bonnets--processes hitherto carried on exclusively at one or two large local centres.
"You don't expect to pay your way ?" repeated Mrs.Boyce.

"What, never ?" "Well, we shall give twelve to fourteen shillings a week wages.

We shall find the materials, and the room--and prices are very low, the whole trade depressed." Mrs.Boyce laughed.
"I see.

How many workers do you expect to get together ?" "Oh! eventually, about two hundred in the three villages.