"The incidental expenses are so heavy," she confides to inquiring friends.Who is the speaker

"The incidental expenses are so heavy,"

she confides to inquiring friends.Who is the speaker? What is she referring to here? 

Answer: Mrs. Packletide is the speaker. She is referring to the heavy price which she had to pay to Miss Mebbin to keep the incident of shooting the goat instead of the tiger a secret. 

She was forced to give Miss Mebbin an expensive weekend cottage in order to outshine Loona Bimberton. She had learned a lesson from her bad experience and did not indulge in big-game shooting anymore.