Very much to your credit, I must say, Mr. Benson, with your
limited means, to burden yourself with a poor relation. Very
creditable indeed."
Miss Benson glanced at Ruth; she either did not hear or did not
understand, but passed on into the awful sphere of Mr. Bradshaw's
observation unmoved. He was in a bland and condescending humour
of universal approval, and when he saw Ruth he nodded his head in
token of satisfaction. That ordeal was over, Miss Benson thought,
and in the thought rejoiced.
"After dinner, you must go and lie down, my dear," said she,
untying Ruth's bonnet-strings, and kissing her. "Sally goes to
church again, but you won't mind staying alone in the house. I am
sorry we have so many people to dinner; but my brother will
always have enough on Sundays for any old or weak people, who may
have come from a distance, to stay and dine with us; and to-day
they all seem to have come, because it is his first Sabbath at
home."
In this way Ruth's first Sunday passed over.
CHAPTER XV
MOTHER AND CHILD
"Here is a parcel for you, Ruth!" said Miss Benson on the Tuesday
morning.
"For me!" said Ruth, all sorts of rushing thoughts and hopes
filling her mind, and turning her dizzy with expectation. If it
had been from "him," the new-born resolutions would have had a
bard struggle for existence.
"It is directed 'Mrs. Denbigh,'" said Miss Benson, before giving
it up.
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