And the Squire's farewell to her had turned
even her grief to gall.
'If Pamela was hurt, I was a most innocent cause!' said Elizabeth at
last, indignantly. 'And if you or any one else had given me the
smallest hint--'
'How could we?' was the rather sulky reply. 'Pamela, of course,
never said a word--to me. But I rather think she did say something
to Desmond.'
'Desmond!' cried Elizabeth under her breath. She turned slowly, and
went away, leaving Mrs. Gaddesden panting and a little scared at
what she had done.
Elizabeth went back to the library, where there was much to put in
order. She forced herself to tidy the Squire's table, and to write a
business letter or two. But when that was done she dropped her face
in her hands, and shed a few very bitter tears.
She seemed to herself to have failed miserably. In truth, her heart
clung to all these people. She soon attached herself to those with
whom she lived, and was but little critical of them. The warm,
maternal temper which went with her shrewd brain seemed to need
perpetually objects on which to spend itself.
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