She did not make a favourable
impression on the well-clad Mrs. Gale, dressed in her best silk gown,
and therefore unusually susceptible to the appearance of another.
Nor were Susan's manners gracious or cordial. How could they be,
when she remembered what had passed between Michael and herself the
last time they met? For her penitence had faded away under the daily
disappointment of these last weary weeks.
But she was hospitable in substance. She bade Peggy hurry on the
kettle, and busied herself among the tea-cups, thankful that the
presence of Mrs. Gale, as a stranger, would prevent the immediate
recurrence to the one subject which she felt must be present in
Michael's mind as well as in her own. But Mrs. Gale was withheld by
no such feelings of delicacy. She had come ready-primed with the
case, and had undertaken to bring the girl to reason. There was no
time to be lost. It had been prearranged between the brother and
sister that he was to stroll out into the farm-yard before his sister
introduced the subject; but she was so confident in the success of
her arguments, that she must needs have the triumph of a victory as
soon as possible; and, accordingly, she brought a hail-storm of good
reasons to bear upon Susan.
Pages:
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69