‘Oh, how pleasant it is,’ she explained bitterly to her husband, ’to think that everybody in the road is talking about us with contempt!  Of course tile servants have spread nice stories.  And the Wilkinsons’—­these were the people next door—­’look upon us as hardly respectable.  Even Mrs. Fentiman said yesterday that she really could not conceive how I came to take that girl into the house.  I acknowledged that I must have been crazy.’

‘Whilst we’re thoroughly upset,’ replied Mumford, with irritation at this purposeless talk, ’hadn’t we better leave the house and go to live as far away as possible?’

’Indeed, I very much wish we could.  I don’t think I shall ever be happy again at Sutton.’

And Clarence went off muttering to himself about the absurdity and the selfishness of women.

For a week or ten days Louise lay very ill; then her vigorous constitution began to assert itself.  It helped her greatly towards convalescence when she found that the scorches on her face would not leave a permanent blemish.  Mrs. Mumford came into the room once a day and sat for a few minutes, neither of them desiring longer communion, but they managed to exchange inquiries and remarks with a show of came from Cobb, Emmeline made no friendliness.  When the fifty pounds mention of it.  The next day, however, Mrs. Higgins being absent when Emmeline looked in, Louise said with an air of satisfaction

‘So he has paid the money!  I’m very glad of that.’

‘Mr. Cobb insisted on paying,’ Mrs. Mumford answered with reserve.  ‘We could not hurt his feelings by refusing.’

’Well, that’s all right, isn’t it?  You won’t think so badly of us now?  Of course you wish you’d never set eyes on me, Mrs. Mumford; but that’s only natural:  in your place I’m sure I should feel the same.  Still, now the money’s paid, you won’t always think unkindly of me, will you?’

The girl lay propped on pillows; her pale face, with its healing scars, bore witness to what she had undergone, and. one of her arms was completely swathed in bandages.  Emmeline did not soften towards her, but the frank speech, the rather pathetic little smile, in decency demanded a suave response.

‘I shall wish you every happiness, Louise.’

’Thank you.  We shall be married as soon as ever I’m well, but I’m sure I don’t know where.  Mother hates his very name, and does her best to set me against him; but I just let her talk.  We’re beginning to quarrel a little—­did you hear us this morning?  I try to keep down my voice, and I shan’t be here much longer, you know.  I shall go home at first my stepfather has written a kind letter, and of course he’s glad to know I shall marry Mr. Cobb.  But I don’t think the wedding will be there.  It wouldn’t be nice to go to church in a rage, as I’m sure I should with mother and Cissy looking on.’

This might, or might not, signify a revival of the wish to be married from ‘Runnymede.’  Emmeline quickly passed to another subject.