But it is a
terrible shock to us all. We had had no more dreadful fear to
lessen the shock; mamma is quite unfit for anything, and we none
of us dare to tell papa." Jemima had hard work to keep down her
sobs thus far, and now they overmastered her.
"How is your father? I have wanted to hear every day," asked Mr.
Benson tenderly.
"It was careless of me not to come and tell you; but, indeed, I
have had so much to do. Mamma would not go near him. He has said
something which she seems as if she could not forgive. Because he
came to meals, she would not. She has almost lived in the
nursery; taking out all Dick's old playthings, and what clothes
of his were left, and turning them over, and crying over them."
"Then Mr. Bradshaw has joined you again; I was afraid, from what
Mr. Farquhar said, he was going to isolate himself from you all?"
"I wish he had," said Jemima, crying afresh. "It would have been
more natural than the way he has gone on; the only difference
from his usual habit is, that he has never gone near the office,
or else he has come to meals just as usual, and talked just as
usual; and even done what I never knew him do before, tried to
make jokes--all in order to show us how little he cares."
"Does he not go out at all?"
"Only in the garden. I am sure he does care after all; he must
care; he cannot shake off a child in this way, though he thinks
he can; and that makes me so afraid of telling him of this
accident.
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