"It's Miss
Sewell's Experience of Life."
"A novel, I see," observed Mrs. Baines, dropping the book.
Gold and jewels would probably not tempt a Sophia of these days to
read Experience of Life; but to Sophia Baines the bland story had
the piquancy of the disapproved.
The next day Mrs. Baines summoned Sophia into her bedroom.
"Sophia," said she, trembling, "I shall be glad if you will not
walk about the streets with young men until you have my
permission."
The girl blushed violently. "I--I--"
"You were seen in Wedgwood Street," said Mrs. Baines.
"Who's been gossiping--Mr. Critchlow, I suppose?" Sophia exclaimed
scornfully.
"No one has been 'gossiping,'" said Mrs. Baines. "Well, if I meet
some one by accident in the street I can't help it, can I?"
Sophia's voice shook.
"You know what I mean, my child," said Mrs. Baines, with careful
calm.
Sophia dashed angrily from the room.
"I like the idea of him having 'a heavy day'!" Mrs. Baines
reflected ironically, recalling a phrase which had lodged in her
mind. And very vaguely, with an uneasiness scarcely perceptible,
she remembered that 'he,' and no other, had been in the shop on
the day her husband died.
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