"
"How do you mean?"
"Oh, it's no use thinking of it, as it is! Or else we might have
taken her home with us, and kept her till she had got a little
dressmaking in the congregation, but for this meddlesome child;
that spoils everything. You must let me grumble to you, Thurstan.
I was very good to her, and spoke as tenderly and respectfully of
the little thing as if it were the Queen's, and born in lawful
matrimony."
"That's right, my dear Faith! Grumble away to me, if you like.
I'll forgive you, for the kind thought of taking her home with
us. But do you think her situation is an insuperable objection?"
"Why, Thurstan!--it's so insuperable, it puts it quite out of the
question."
"How?--that's only repeating your objection. Why is it out of the
question?"
"If there had been no child coming, we might have called her by
her right name--Miss Hilton; that's one thing. Then, another is,
the baby in our house. Why, Sally would go distraught!"
"Never mind Sally. If she were an orphan relation of our own,
left widowed," said he, pausing as if in doubt. "You yourself
suggested she should be considered as a widow, for the child's
sake. I'm only taking up your ideas, dear Faith. I respect you
for thinking of taking her home; it is just what we ought to do.
Thank you for reminding me of my duty."
"Nay, it was only a passing thought. Think of Mr. Bradshaw. Oh! I
tremble at the thought of his grim displeasure.
Pages:
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179